The Love Letter
by Da'khari
Summary: Tiny finds letters that suggest her grandmother had been in love once, portraying a different person to the one she knew and loved Samcedes forever - I own this story
1. Chapter 1

**The Love Letter**

Tiny stood in the bedroom watching her Mom cry over every garment she picked up, doing this painful exercise of discarding of her Grandmothers belongings. It had been 6 weeks since she had passed and her Mother had just about picked up the courage to go back to the house since the funeral some 5 weeks ago "Mom" she said rubbing her Mothers back trying to console her somehow "Grandma's in a better place now that's what we have to hold onto remember what paster said?" she asked her sobbing Mother

"I'm sorry Tiny" she said through her tears

Tiny understood really, her Mom; like her, was an only child, she had been born while her Mother was in the forces, fathered by a Soldier, who had been killed in the early end of the Vietnam War around 1958, and she had never loved again. She had brought Patrice up herself, left the forces because she was pregnant and also a struggling single Mom who found work with the Public Services serving the then president in office.

For all intents and purposes Patrice was an affluent, proud, strong, educated, ambitious, black woman who married when she was 25 to Neville a police officer of high ranking and ten years later, when they had given up on the prospect of having children, they had Tiny; called that because she was a tiny replica of her grandmother Mercedes who was her name sake.

"Stop calling my name" her Grandma used to say when people called to Tiny by her name "Her name is Tiny I'm Mercy" she'd say and the name just stuck. The memory brought a smile to Tiny's face as she sat holding her Mother now broken

"Lets sort some boxes instead that's not so personal" her Mom suggested having composed herself, so they set about clearing the box room, called that not because it was small but because that was where Grandma had put all her treasured possessions in boxes. They opened the door to see white boxes, obviously brought for this reason neatly stacked around the room from floor to ceiling and half way through the middle of the room's floor space

"Gosh Mom how are we going to get through all of this?" Tiny asked holding her chest for the enormity of the task ahead

"Grab two chairs sweetheart and we'll sit and work through them from this side, your Dad can come and get them to the shops once we've separated the good from the tat" she laughed "I guess he'll be doing a lot of lifting" she said looking around the room "I guess if you want it keep it but check with me first" she added as Tiny went to find some chairs for them. She came back with two stools which made her Mother cry again remembering sitting with her mother getting her hair plaited or made up to go meet her now husband

"Are you sure you're ready for this Mom?" Tiny asked with a chuckle as once again she held her mother as she cried

"I'm ready to be held by you sweetheart" she said as Tiny held her tighter

After a short while Patrice sprung up wiped her eyes and said "Come on Tiny no more crying" as Tiny looked on wondering when she was crying but said nothing as they grabbed boxes and went to sit on the stools to open and sort them. They went through the boxes laughing, crying, telling stories and agreeing trash until Patrice called time at about 11 pm.

At 23 years old Tiny had excelled at school and went on to attend Julliards, she dabbled in the Dance classes for a while before falling properly in love with Jazz, her major, and then taking up Piano, strings and also classical opera to fill in her spare time. She'd recently joined a group, which she'd purposely forgotten to tell her parents about, and sung anything but church music, she actually loved performing, which shocked her, it was like the skin that belonged to Tiny just fell off every time she got on stage and she became this confident, beautiful, talented, Mercy, which is what she called herself at University

"We'll have to get back on this tomorrow if you want the help I really can't miss any more of uni" Tiny said as they packed up for the 40 minute journey to the airport to get back to her parents house. A far cry from her Grandma's old wooden stepped, ground level 3 bed cottage type abode in South Carolina with picturesque gardens and the largest balcony for a house that size. "We should stay tonight Mom" she suggested as her Mom looked round the room for something to say why that was a bad idea

"Its not the ideal" she finally came back with "But I do need the help so I guess we could stay here for tonight"

"Great I'll call Dad and let him know" Tiny said jumping up to get her mobile "Dad" she said excited when he picked up "Mom's decided we're staying overnight so just to say don't collect us from the airport" she said pausing to hear his side of the conversation "Yeah she actually suggested it, well agreed to it anyway" she said with a smile on her face "Yeah goodnight Dad" she said before passing the phone to her Mom who left the room to have her private conversation and returned some 15 minutes later snivelling but smiling.

"We'll order something in yeah?" she asked Tiny as she handed her the phone back

They were twenty minutes deciding and then they only ate a slice each of the Pizza before Patrice announced she was going to get a soak before bed and getting up early in the morning to get everything packed because she was definitely going home tomorrow. Tiny sat watching TV and listening to music for a while before she decided a long soak might help bring sleep and ventured to the bathroom, emerging 40 minutes later even more awake than she'd been before her indulgence.

She sat flicking through her play list, went on her university web site checking out what was happening up there and them staring at the TV again before she decided to just get on with a bit more packing. She stood in the doorway of her Grandmothers bedroom trying to decide what to do first. She eventually decided to get everything out the draws, wardrobe and cabinets and put them on the bed to make things easier for tomorrow with packing. She made light work of getting everything out and maybe 90 minutes later she was sat on the bed looking at a very high pile of clothes, underwear, hats, coats, shoes and books. "Grandma what you doing with so many books, I never saw you read one" Tiny said picking one up "Love in a cold climate" she smiled leafing through the book thinking about her Grandma possibly being young and in love with some unreachable stranger. "Advise and Consent" she picked up another book saying as she read the synopsis this time "Just the right mix of her two favourite things" she chuckled to herself grabbing another book "To kill a mockingbird?" she questioned as she opened the book and papers fell out "What?" she asked quietly as she picked them up and saw envelopes with Nashville post marks on, neatly written "Oh" Tiny said with a smile on her face "letters from Granddad" she said grabbing hold of the handful of letters and stuffing them back in the book, hoping to cheer her Mom up tomorrow with the find.

The next morning Tiny was up surprisingly early considering she'd struggled to find sleep the night before "Mom" she ran into the kitchen saying "Mom" she said again waiting for some sort of acknowledgement that she'd been heard "Mo.."

"Just talk Tiny there's only us in the house I'm bound to hear you"

"Okay, sorry I found these letters from Grandpa to Grandma last night and I was thinking you'd maybe want to read them"

"From my Dad to my Mom" Patrice said excited wiping her hands and walking quickly towards Tiny to get the book "They're all mixed up Tiny" she said disheartened when she looked in the box

"I'll sort them Mom don't worry about that" she said taking the box and sitting at the kitchen table ready to sort the letters out for her Mother, by breakfast the letter around 8 were sitting in a tidy pile on the table ready

"Right" Patrice said sitting at the table "First one please" she smiled at Tiny saying

"First one 27th June 1961" Tiny said passing the envelope over

"1961?" her Mom asked pulling her hand away "Check that date" she told Tiny

"27th June 1961 it's right Mom" she said giving her back the envelope

"That's not from my Father" she told Tiny pushing the letter back to her "I don't know who she wrote that to, obviously she didn't want me to know him or her as the case may be, so I really don't want to know"

"It might be Grandpa Mom, he was at war maybe it just took a while to get here" Tiny added "Just open the first one and see if the date's different and then we'll know" Tiny suggested, Patrice looked at the envelope for a while before taking it from Tiny and opening it

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _Our week together was unforgettable, I was wrong to do it but honestly, I have no regrets and I hope you can say the same. I know I said I wouldn't write but Mercy I fell in love in less than a week and although on that first day I could only offer you the position of mistress in my life, today I want you to be my wife I miss you, please reply so I can visit you_

 _And the answer to your request is I promise, and you know how I am with those_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"My Dad's name was Graham" her Mom said coldly as she finished reading the letter out loud

"But it was so romantic that Grandma actually tried to love someone after Granddad passed"

"No it isn't" she jumped off the chair shouting at Tiny before leaving the room "Destroy them" she turned to say as she left

"Okay" Tiny said putting them in her pocket before thinking better of that and putting them in between her books in her briefcase. Mercy followed her Mother to the bedroom and silently started packing things as they had agreed. The tat boxes were left in the hall ready for collection and everything else was put in the back of Mr James, from next door's, truck and taken to the local second hand store to do with what they wanted and at 7.30 pm Patrice and Tiny stood at terminal 2 waiting for their flight back home to Los Angeles.

Tiny couldn't wait for the hellos to be over so she could unsuspectingly go to her room to have a look at the next letter, but her parents regularly popped into her room to have random conversations about shit that really didn't matter to her, or maybe even them, they were just about keeping the channels of communication open for their vulnerable 23 year old recluse daughter. It was about 11.30 pm when she heard the house finally go quiet and as usual her Dad popped his head round the door to check she was sleeping, which of course she was until he shut the door again, then she sprung up. Grabbing the briefcase she took out all the books and scattered them across her bed just in case and grabbed the bundle of letters written to her Grandmother to read "19th December 1961" she said. As she opened the envelope a ping of guilt went through her making her pause for just a moment before the need to know crept back in and she almost violently ripped it open

 _My beloved Mercy_

 _My Love it's been 6 months and you've given me nothing to work with, I know right now you're focusing on what your daughter needs and you're right to do that, but you need too, I felt that when we were together and I need that back please say yes to my weak proposal, Marry Me and make me the happiest man in the world_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"He's begging Grandma, and Mommy so needed a Dad" Tiny smiled as she folded the note and put it back into the very torn envelope, laying down and falling asleep, it had been a long day. It was three more days before she was able to read any more letters as her Dad went away on business and as traditional she slept in her parents bed with her Mom for two days until it was time for her to go back to University. She said a very tearful goodbye and left for New York back to her dorm, study and free reading, as she lay on her bed ready for a marathon read " 20th June 1962, every 6 months" she smiled as she carefully opened the letter and read it

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _Everyone is furious with me for what I just did, but I couldn't stand there and Marry Julia knowing that my heart was full for you. It's been a couple of years now and I guess you get my letters but that pride of yours refuses to let you reply so I'm just being that bug in your ear reminding you that I'm here and I still love you and of course I'm waiting_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"He was supposed to get married and he didn't Grandma he was waiting for you, why didn't you go to him?" Tiny looked up asking with tears in her eyes for the romance of it all "12th December 1962" she told herself as she opened the next letter

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _After all this time with no contact this should be a very easy letter to write, these words should come so easy, I should be standing in front of you in about 14 hours saying the words I'm about to say to Julia. She's not you no one will ever be you, but the pressure I'm under from my family is tremendous and I guess in a sense their right, how can I love a memory of love so much. We know that what we felt for each other that week was real, it's lasted thus far and it will go on forever. I can only say sorry for what I'm about to do, and I know after that revelation you may not think it but_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"Grandma" Tiny said through her cry "Please tell me you tried to stop him, he loves you" she finally said as she sat thinking of all the time her Grandma had spent alone and as a child the guilt she had heard her Mother convey to her Dad about leaving her there alone for long periods of time "All that time she could have been with someone she loved, who loved her" Tiny said as she opened the next letter "16th June 1965" she smiled ' _Maybe his wife left him and he's asking for her to go meet him, why am I getting excited I know she didn't'_ Tiny thought looking at the contents of the next letter

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _I got a letter from our president today it simply said 'in god we trust' and I knew it was from you, I'm glad you think our souls will meet again and I pray for that too. It's maybe not even linked but you made this the happiest day of my life, My son Daniel was born today a bit touch and go this morning but everything seems to be working out for him, I'm so proud, and with all this pride I'm feeling for my new son my heart still wishes I was looking at you as his Mother with his older sister standing beside us. I'm still incomplete Mercy because my love is missing_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"She sent a letter from her place of work naughty Grandma" Tiny chuckled "So he got married had a damn child and still insisted on writing love you letters to my Grandma. I would have dissed him too Grandma but now he's all settled and everything you choose to reply to his letter why did you do that, jealously caught up with you for a second" She laughed out loud saying

"You alright Mercy" Tina her room mate asked

"Sorry T just reading for an assignment" she said stuffing the letters under her pillow just in case Tina came closer

"Okay I'm going to see you know who so later right?" she asked

"Yeah fine" she replied waiting for the door to close before diving back under her pillow for the rest of the letters "16th July 1990"

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _It's been a while and I guess life, has done its best to both of us I hope you found some happiness, not as much as you'd have had with me but, enough to get you through. I'm only guessing you still have the same post box and you'll get this. It's another proud day for me and I just needed to share it with the love of my life, my son's getting married today to a pretty little southern girl, their love seems much like ours, it brings tears to my eyes every time I see them together. I know your daughter got married a few years ago it was high profile, and so it should be, you Anderson's are of high calibre. So yeah there's going to be a deserving Mrs Evans by the end of today_

 _as always_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"He's never forgotten Grandma, in all he's done in his life he's never forgotten her, why did she choose to forget him?" A question Tiny knew she could never get the answer to now her Grandma had gone "Sam" she said wondering what he looked like, there was never a time she'd sat and considered what someone Grandma would fancy, ' _is that the word'_ would look like, she was such a hard woman, to imagine her in love was difficult for the most imaginative person. "So his son got married and the only person in the world he needed to tell that was Grandma, please tell me you replied to that" she said as she rushed to open the last letter

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _It was so exciting to get your telegram today I had to write you straight back with my news too. We were meant to be together I always told you this, but you refused to believe it and now this for me seals the deal. We were born on the same day and now our grandchildren are born on the same day, both name sakes and mine looks like me and yours looks like you, could God be so gracious Mercy do you think he could?_

 _I finally told Julia about you, she was upset at first but when I convinced her that you had never reciprocated any of my letters bar one from the President she calmed down. I'm sorry if I betrayed a confidence in doing that, I just felt like I'd been living a lie all these years, because try as I might I still want my days to be spent with you_

 _I keep reading your letter over and over again looking for the word love but you don't use it, I know it was something felt and not for paper but if you could just once tell me again. I've lived on your declaration of love for me for over 28 years and I need to hear you say it just once more before I go_

 _I still play our song and tell myself at the end of it, one day you'll arrive here and tell me your ready now, because you told me you would love me forever and I believe you_

 _as always_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"22nd February 1993, why did I even have to look at that" she smiled as she read her birthday on the envelope "Why did she tell him about me?" she wondered for a while. "I guess when she had news she just wanted to tell someone she loved just like him" she surmised and smiled at that conclusion as she folded the letter to put in back in its envelope "What's this?" she asked as her hand touched a neatly folded note attached to the back of this last letter, almost as flat as the single page she'd just read "A PS" she said carefully unfolding the note to see different writing on it and for some reason excitement crept in at the find "Grandma" she gasped as she read the first line

 _My Beloved Sam_

 _It's been 22 years since our last correspondence and I do so hope you and your family are well, as you said in your last letter 'Its now or never' we loved Elvis didn't we, yes I know I'm beating around the bush again but that's me. Of course I love you Sam, I always have, you're my heart but you know several things stopped us from being us back then and then at some point it just got too late to do anything about it. Maybe we should have broke the mould as you said then but I was scared, and you know why, my kind and your kind didn't mix well back then._

 _It was never pride for me, our love is special and I didn't want it tainted with slurs and innuendos from boggotted folk, who thought love was about colour, class, race, and the list goes on_

 _My life has been blessed like yours Patrice fills me with pride every time I look at her, she's filled that second chamber in my heart, until you came along and my beautiful granddaughter Tiny I call her, she's just me all over again, makes me smile just mentioning her name, completed the fourth chamber of my beating heart_

 _Yes, I'm getting to the point, I'm not well, I don't have long left and I needed you to know that although I love my life, if I had it all over again, I'd choose you to be in it too, remember our promise and so, as my parting gift to you, I'll tell you again as you asked_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Mercy_

 _(Goodbye for now my Love)_

Tiny was in tears as she read the note from her Grandmother to the love of her life "This has to get to him" she told herself "He has to know that she loved him to the end" she said taking the time to fold the letter back in its original folds

The next morning Tiny couldn't help but call her Mom with the news "Mom, don't kick off but I read all the letter" she said waiting for a response

"I knew you would" her Mom said with a smile down the phone

"All this happened well after Granddad passed" she told her Mom

"It's not about Dad for me, I don't think I want to be the reason why Mom didn't live a full life" Patrice told her daughter

"You weren't"

"Why didn't she then?"

"She did she was happy enough, but she loved this Sam all her life"

"As I said because of me she wasn't happy"

"It wasn't because of you, it was because Sam was a different colour to her"

"What white?" her Mom asked in shock

"Doesn't say, she just says different Colour, class, race"

"There are only two colours baby, Black or white" her Mom laughed "So Mom was in love with a white man and she was what ashamed of that?"

"No, I guess she didn't want the stigma for them, and with you already being born I guess for you too"

"He mentions you in his letters" Tiny told her stopping her Mom's breath

"Me? What did he say?"

"When his son was born he said he felt so proud..."

"That's about his son, what did he say about me?" her Mom butted in

"I'm getting to it" Tiny giggled "He said the only thing missing was Mom's face and his son's big sister standing at the side of the bed, which was you"

"That's nice"

"He also said, he'd heard you'd got married because it was high profile and you deserved it but he wasn't surprised because the Anderson's where high calibre anyway"

"Oh, that is so sweet" Patrice replied obviously with tears as the tremble could be heard in her voice "So" she said pulling herself together "What are you going to do about all this new found information you've got?" she asked

"Nothing really, I've got no addresses just Grandma's and I've not got the time to go on a wild goose chase" Tiny said "It's just good to know Grandma had a second chance at love and he loved her all her life, I suppose also that we can put a name to him too" she giggled "But I do have to wonder what kind of white man could float Grandma's boat"

"Tiny" her Mom said sharply before laughing herself

"Mom something else" she said sobering up "Grandma knew she was ill" she said trying not to let her voice break "She told this Sam guy a year before we knew anything"

"A year!" her Mom shouted through the phone "So she had time to do something about it?"

"I'm sort of guessing that by the time she wrote to him about it she'd tried everything there was to try" Tiny said reading between the lines of her Grandma's letter "Anyway just called to let you know I've got to go study for this exam later today"

"Good luck with that Tiny although I know you don't need luck you've worked hard for this" her Mom said blowing a kiss through the phone "Bye"

"Bye Mom kiss Dad for me" and the conversation was over

Three months later and Tiny had sat all her exams, quietly pleased with the results, although she was, like everyone else waiting on the official results, and just waiting for graduation day to be free of study for a short while, just one lazy summer and then she'd be starting at a senior school in Lima as the Music tutor. If she wasn't so excited about the whole thing she'd take a minute to be terrified of being in pastures new without her parents, but she'd felt that way about going to university and fitted in just fine. She was going to miss the band, they'd done so many gigs, saved so many lives when other bands didn't turn up for functions, become very close friends, she knew those bonds weren't going to be easily broken. So three weeks later when she got her results passing out with top marks for her four subjects, it was proud parents that stood on the podium congratulation their daughter for bagging The Outstanding Student Award before the party went down, they booked an hotel for the night and all three went back to Los Angeles the following day.

"So" Patrice said to Tiny as she sat shoving a few bits of food around her plate "What are you going to do with the house?" she asked her

"I don't know, I'm never going to live there I know that much but it was Grandma's house and I'm torn I guess, between moving on and wanting something of her to always be there" Tiny told her

"You know Grandma and what she'd say to you about that" Patrice told her daughter "Follow your heart"

"I'll go down this weekend and have a look around and stuff make my mind up and let you both know" she announced shoving the last bit of food in her mouth before picking her plate up and leaving the table

 **The Weekend**

Mercy reached South Carolina by noon on Friday hoping to grab hold of some real estate agent to discuss her estate and options, she visited the house which looked pretty much the same as they'd left it nearly four months ago, she looked around wishing the old house had been built in some town much like her parents lived in with vibrant businesses, café's, clubs, bars, a good choice of men even. This place looked like cousin city, there was no way a man hadn't known his wife from birth in this place, _'maybe they impregnated to order'_ she laughed as she thought it

As she walked through the town passing the old barber shop; where men still congregated to talk about their wives and girlfriends, the bakers; smelling that age old smell of fresh everything cakes still loaded with fat and turnovers with much too much indulging Jam in the middle, made her lick her lips. As she walked past the post office a hand waved at her and she waved back, not knowing exactly who it was she stopped and went in to look.

"Mark, my you've grown" she said surprised to see him in the shop, his scrawny, gangly body had bulked out into a muscled tower, his looks were still in tact and his dark blotchy skin had evened out giving him a plain chocolate sexy look that she could seriously get into "What are you doing in here?"

"Working Tiny, you rich girls don't know what that is" he smiled

"My parents are rich Mark, I'm a struggling artist" she laughed as she told him "So your the post master now?" she said proud that although his Father had just passed two weeks before her Grandma, Mark had overnight become this responsible adult. He hadn't attended the funeral, he was overseas finishing his education and was now a qualified Lawyer but had still chosen to run his Fathers business, after that sacrifice

"Post masters son" he corrected her "I'll never take that title from Dad, rest his soul" he said looking up to the heavens "You here to deal with Ma Mercy's house?" he asked as his eyes focused on Tiny again

"You mean my house?" she corrected him

"I was right first time then, rich girl" he smiled "I've always liked you Tiny, and I know you know this, but you insist on ignoring my advances why?"

"I was studying, no time for distractions Mark and now I'm off to work in Ohio after the summer, I'm here for a week and no way do I need a relationship right now especially not a long distance one"

"Always got an answer for everything" Mark laughed

"Sorry" she said flashing her eyes at him making him laugh all the more

"Sorry, and then you give me those damn eyes of yours" he laughed harder "Go sort out your house I might see you later if you're lucky"

"You mean, if you're lucky" she said flicking her hair and walking off leaving him watching her leave

"And you know Cane's up the road, tell him I said to leave you the hell alone" he shouted after her as she left looking down at his fidgeting hands as he chuckled to himself for the madness that came out in him when that girl came around

News had already reached Cain because he was standing outside the bar when she approached that side of the main street with a smile on his face "Tiny, Tiny Tiny" he said as he walked towards her with his arms open waiting for her to walk into

"Cane, Cane, Cane" she mimicked back at him stopping before she got to his arms "We ain't tight like that" she said looking at his outstretched arms "What you up to nowadays?" she asked standing far enough away from him to let him know he was not touching her today or any day really

"Out of the cafe and into the bar" he said pointing at the only bar on the street

"You upgraded" she smile sarcastically

"I'm working my way up, by the time you're ready to settle down I'll be managing this place you watch" he grinned

"You know it's never been about material things for me Cane, I couldn't give a damn about what my man has or hasn't got if I feel it I feel it and that's just it"

"Do you feel it for me Tiny?"

"No Cane I don't, so please stop with the trying"

"Tiny" she heard from behind her "Tiny" the voice said again and she turned to see Mark waving her to go to him

"Between you two I'm seriously being put off coming here again" she said "Hold up Cain" she said turning to go see what Mark wanted, knowing he was just going to ask her if she'd told Cain what he'd said "Yes Mark" she said, rolling her eyes when she got to him

"I forgot to mention your Grandma's post box, there are a couple of letters in there and it needs paying for and, or closing down" he said

"Of course" Tiny said following Mark back into the post office to sort things out

"If you need any legal advise in regards to the house or anything I can help I'm the Lawyer around here too, I do that freelance" he smiled in a professional way

"Got that" Tiny said still following him to the post box, he took out two letters and passed them to her, standing watching her look at them "What?" she asked opening her arms for the explanation

"Pay or close which one?" he asked "Are you with it Tiny?" he laughed asking

"Yeah I'm with it, just close the box and have them sent to the house for now, no keep the box" she decided "Just take my number and let me know when letters come" she concluded while taking her mobile out to give him her contact number "Bye" she said as she walked out looking at the envelopes paying no mind to Cain still waiting outside the bar as she got in her car, threw the letters on the seat next to her, started the engine and drove away to her house.

She made her way to the kitchen and set the kettle on to make herself a drink, sat at the kitchen table and finally took the letter out of her bag post dated 24th May 2016 "God" Tiny gasped "That was the day Grandma passed" she said winded as the letter somehow fell between her fingers as she sat just looking at it "Come on Tiny do your thing" she told herself reaching for the letter and opening it to read the next revelation

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _Sad news I'm writing today, on top of your sad news which broke my heart, Julia was in a car accident last night coming from church and she was killed at the scene, My son was in the car too, driving, he's in intensive care and I am totally in bits about him. You know how easy it is for me to cry well I really can't stop, and you know you could hold me and stop me in a minute, or is that a hot minute, I laugh well, I need you to do that for me now my love, my heart is breaking and somehow I can feel you getting closer to me, I just needed to speak to you right now, do you have a phone?_

 _Hopefully you'll get this letter and read it, I know that will make me feel better, I miss you so much sweetheart, all these years lost we need to be together, I wished I could get mad and demand that you come to me or let me come I should be looking after you now, we're none of us young any more. I'm holding that olive branch Mercy let me come see you , before my eyes close_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"His wife died the same day as Grandma, and she still thinks they weren't destined to be together" she said feeling around for the next letter "28th November 2016 this one's only a few days old, he still thinks she's alive" she said ripping the letter open to read the contents

 _My Beloved Mercy_

 _You'll be glad to know, Daniel is well now, he's finally out of hospital and off recuperating in Canada with his family, they plan on spending a month there apparently his wife's brother lives there which leaves me at a loose end. I've therefore decided to bite this particular bullet and follow my mail to your box._

 _I should get there for about 12.40 on Saturday 3_ _rd_ _December 2016, I'm praying that you'll come and find me, whatever you need to tell your family we can do that together, but I need to spend my last days with you, otherwise my life would have been pointless._

 _I can hear you cussing me now, it's making me laugh actually, but only because I know while your shouting at me your heart will be bursting with joy at the sight of me, and I'm not being big headed in saying that I just know how you work, remember?_

 _I'll see you in a few days_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"Shit" Tiny said looking at her mobile "He's coming in what, Tomorrow"


	2. Chapter 2

"Shit" Tiny said looking at her mobile "He's coming in what, Tomorrow" she screeched looking around the house at the boxes and clothes strooned around it "God I've got to do something with this place" she said getting up and throwing things into the middle of the hall "5 o'clock" she finally said when she stopped to think about food as she took her mobile out "Mark" she said when he answered "You still got your truck?"

"No" he answered "Who is this?"

"Tiny, and I need a truck"

"Cain's got one"

"Call him and ask him to come to mine with it, and bring you with him" she ordered without consultation

"There are several things missing in that sentence Tiny"

"Sorry Mark, I'm a bit stressed with all this cleaning, I just need shot of this junk like now before I go mad, could you call Cain please ask him to bring himself and his truck to help move it and dinner's on me for all of us, you'd be saving my life Mark" she whined down the phone

"That's better" he laughed "I'll see what he's doing and we'll get there as soon as we can"

Forty minutes later they, all three, were throwing items onto the back of Cain's truck and about an hour after starting all the items that had been in the middle of the hall were in the back of Cain's truck and they were sitting in the kitchen discussing food choices

"I remember sitting in here back in the day singing the wrong words to church songs loud enough for Ma Anderson to hear the tune and think we were being really good kids" Cain laughed saying

"Funny" Mark said through his laugh

They eventually decided on Chinese and made their order, cleaning up while waiting for delivery "It's here" Tiny shouted once she saw the car pull up

"Hi Tiny" Claudine shouted as she got closer to the front door "I hear my Man's up in here cleaning and shit for you thought I'd come look what was going on" she said smiling as she got closer and giving Tiny a hug

"Claudine come on in, I got him working on the sheds" she informed her as they entered the house "Your family alright?" she enquired

"Everyone's fine Tiny, how's your Mom holding up?"

"As good as can be expected, she didn't make this trip, I'm clearing the old place out, and trying to make up my mind whether I'm going to sell or keep it, I don't think I'll ever live here"

"My Grandma says this house was a compromise for Ms Mercy, apparently someone gave her a house and she didn't feel right in it so she got them to agree she could sell it and she brought this one instead, don't even know how accurate it is you know how the old folk go round in swings and roundabouts" she laughed

"I do" Mercy said laughing with her "Stay have some food" she said before calling the guys in

"I'm working sorry" Claudine said before going to see Mark for hugs before leaving again and soon after food , the guys left to go get rid of the items on Cain's truck

Mercy sat looking around the house thinking about her Grandma and Sam tapping out notes on the grand baby piano in the main sitting room **'The Moon and the Sky' by Sade** came to mind as she sat singing and humming it, it brought tears to her eyes as she realised her Grandma wasn't destined for her happy ending. She gave up the singing and opted for watching some family video's memories she didn't even know she was suppressing coming to life on the screen bring with them emotions she struggled to control. When she woke up from sleep she didn't even know she'd begged, it was morning the sky were blue and birds were chirping. She quickly got her breakfast sorted and grabbed her mobile to call her Mom and let her know. She all but pressed dial before she changed her mind and decided to meet him herself and maybe report back to her family on this strange man Sam, that seemed to know about parts of her Grandmother's life that neither her Mother or her had privy to.

 **Saturday 3** **rd** **December 2016 12 pm**

Tiny grabbed her coat and nervously made her way to the car, and to the post office "Hello Tiny" Mark said as she walked in with a big smile on his face "You seen the light?" he asked

"A long time ago" she laughed with him saying and he knew he'd lost his war "I'm meeting someone here at about 12.40" she said looking at the lonely clock on the wall

"A man?" he asked

"Yep" she giggled "A man" as she left him and pottered around the shop just window shopping as she waited for her visitor to arrive, she was looking at old DVD's when she heard a voice in the shop

"I'm waiting for Ms Mercy Anderson to come get me" he said with a very distinguished voice

"You'll have a long wait" Mark said before Tiny made her entrance

"Hello Sam is it?" she asked as she walked towards him

"Yes" he spun round saying as he held onto the counter for the shock of seeing Mercy standing in front of him "Mercy" he gasped as a smile came to his face "You must be the namesake, a striking resemblance" he said stretching his hand out to shake hers as Tiny brought her hand up and shook his

"Pleased to finally meet you Mr Sam" she said guiding him out of the shop "We'll go to Grandma's to talk" she informed him as they went. He looked about 80 years old but like someone who had lived a happy life, with hardly any deep lines in his face, which admittedly must have been handsome at one point, strands of his grey hair, that may have once fell all over his face, were tied back in a pony tail exposing missing patches of hair on the top and sides on his head. He walked on a stick and had a limp that he was maybe trying too hard to make it look not as bad as it was, as she showed him into the car it was apparent he was in pain from something as he found it taxing to get in and out of the low seated car but eventually did it anyway "Would you like something hot to drink or cold?" Tiny asked as she sat him in his preferred hard chair

"I'll be alright with a hot chocolate if you don't mind" he said smiling at the uncanny resemblance of Tiny and Mercy

"One sugar, sprinkles and cream" Tiny said thinking about her Grandma's favourite drink

"Yep that's right" Sam told her as she looked round at him and smiled "So where's Mercy?" he asked just as she turned back round

"There is no easy way to say this Mr Sam, you missed her by about 5 or so months, actually she passed the same day your wife passed, but I had no way of getting to you in time, I just picked the letters up yesterday" Tiny said going to sit closer to him as she spoke

"I was too late?" he asked his eyes full of tears as he spoke "I knew I should have pulled rang sooner" he said hitting his lap as he spoke "I'm so damn mad with myself" he said tears now openly falling down his face "I'm sorry Sweetheart I shouldn't be acting like this around you"

"It's alright Mr Sam, if Grandma couldn't have stopped this trip, I certainly wasn't going to try" she smiled as she went back to get the hot drinks poured and took his over to him

"Please call me Sam" he looked up to say "You really do look so much like your Grandma it's uncanny" he smiled "I'm not well myself and I really needed to spend these last days with Mercy, we promised we would you know, and there were so many things we wanted to do together that life didn't let us, I thought I'd got the chance to do this one and now this" he said grabbing a hanky out of his pocket to wipe his face and blow his nose as he pulled himself together

"I found Grandma's letters you wrote" Tiny admitted "I was excited at first and told Mom about it because I thought they were from Granddad but when I got to the end of the first one it said Sam and Mom wasn't too happy about her Mom having someone else in her life and told me to get rid of the letters but I kept them and read them, sorry"

"Did she marry?"

"No, I'd never seen her with anybody, ever" Tiny smiled "Maybe that's why I was intrigued by your letters"

"She sort of told me that would be the case" he said smiling "I just needed to see her one more time" he said going into his thoughts

Tiny looked round because he was so quiet and found he was sleeping "Sam" she called but there was no movement "Sam" she said again walking up to him "Come on I'll put you to bed" she said helping him up "It's been a long day" she said as she helped him lay on top of her Grandma's bed

She went back to the kitchen wondering when he was actually going back home to wherever he came from and realised she didn't even know that, there was a man sleeping in her grandma's bed she didn't know anything about and yet as she went back to the door to check on him and watch him sleeping she instinctively knew he was supposed to be there and he was there for a reason. It was only 5 pm but Sam had been sleeping for an awfully long time so Mercy went in to get him up and at least get him something to eat "Sam" she called as he stirred and settled back into the bed "Comfy ain't it?" she giggled

"Really" she said lifting his head up to see who he was talking to "Mercy Sweetheart" he said smiling at her "Your grandmother's bed is the only place I need to be right now I can smell her in it" he laughed sniffing the sheets as he buried his head in the pillows again

"Food Sam, the body needs food" she laughed saying back to him "While you were asleep I realised I actually knew nothing about you" she told him

"I was born in Missouri but moved to Dallas for a short while, where I met your Grandma, we knew each other for about 4 months before anything hit off between us, I guess it was all just bad timing, and where we were at the time but the Army didn't see us as right because of our different colours and they gave us some stick" he said looking at his hands nervously "We fought as much as we could against it but then that last week we just gave in to the fight, shared our feelings and started a relationship, in every sense on the word" he smiled with a blush "Then her commander found out, he was good friends with Graham; your Grandfather, and he was not having it. Patrice started to get a lot of stick about it and that's sort of when things just went bad for us because they'd turned their hate to a child" he said as a tear brimmed his eye "I brought a house in Houston and Mercy and Patrice lived there for a while I got there a few times and I paid the bills but that commander found out and started to make their lives hell again, so she moved out" he smiled nervously again "She just left a note with a post box number on it saying to use that if I ever needed to get in touch but, the commander wasn't going to let up and Patrice needed to be protected so it was with grave regret and heartbreak that she was telling me we would never see each other again, and that was the deal for Patrice getting a trouble free existence"

"And that was it?" Tiny asked

"Well we met up once more after that, in 1962 and we kissed, a never ending kiss, and told each other that one day we'd meet again and our race wouldn't matter, we could be together and that we'd always love each other no matter what others thought" he chuckled at the memory "Our love was magic, stars the lot every time" he said hoping Tiny would understand how he'd felt

"Come on then lets go find something to eat" Tiny said walking towards the bed to help him up

"No can do I'm afraid, I put everything I have into getting here to be with Mercy, I'm dying Tiny and I don't have long, days maybe"

"How did you get here being so sick?" she asked alarmed

"I had to I promised your Grandma" he said grabbing for his bag a few times before Tiny caught on and passed him the bag. He took out a letter and passed it to her, she just held it at first waiting for instruction but when he looked back at her she somehow knew she was meant to read it "That was the note she left with the post box number" he told her as she started reading her Grandma's letter

 _My Beloved Sam_

 _You know how I feel about you and that I know our hearts were meant to be together forever, but we know the powers that be are not going to let us have that one small pleasure. So here's the deal, another promise I'm afraid_

 _When life decides to take our last breath, if we are not together please promise me you'll let my name be the last you say and I will come to you, whatever I'm doing I will hear you, or you will hear me and my resting place will be your resting place, so we can finally be together surely our happy souls will be pleasing to God_

 _I'm so sorry about all this with the Commander, Graham was a jealous man but his Brother is something else, I never want to see him again ever and so I have to go from this beautiful place your brought us, with tears in my eyes as we uproot again_

 _Always remember that I love you and only you with all my heart_

 _Use the Post Box_

 _I will love you forever_

 _Mercy_

"I just don't know Grandma like this it all seems so unreal that she could have actually been in love, with a man I mean"

"I guess our situation made her that way" he offered

"Yeah I guess it did, what can I get you to eat?" she asked getting up to go sort it all out

"Whatever you're having don't go all out just for me" he told her as she left the room

Tiny sat on the stool in the kitchen thinking about everything that had happened so far today, she'd met up with the love of her Grandma's life and truth he was charming, she could tell he was a good looking man when he was younger. She'd sat and listened to his story of their meeting, relationship and departure and now he was telling her after less than 6 hours in the house that he'd come here to die, what was she going to do with that, she needed to tell someone. She picked up the phone to call her Mom, but remembered she hadn't bothered to tell her about his arrival let alone to bring his problems to her now, thinking better of it she got up to make something to eat instead. Quickly frying off some chicken and baking some cornbread "Finger food" she said thinking about the sheets as she walked back into the bedroom 80 minutes later with a tray and plates for them to eat off.

"I'll try sweetheart" he said as she walked into the room

"I just slaved over the stove to produce this Sam, you better more than try" she laughed as she neared with the tray , his laugh went into a cough that lasted a good while before he was able to drink any of the water Tiny had brought for him

"I don't think you understand" he got out before his coughing started again and a few minutes later he was able to finish his sentence "I really am sick and these are my last few days I need to be with Mercy, I promised her" he said looking into Tiny's eyes as he spoke, something in those deep green eyes told her that he was not joking

"Your eyes are very green Sam" she said having nearly fallen into them

"And your eyes are your Grandma's" he laughed which broke back into a cough as he pulled the sheet up to cover his mouth, Tiny jumped up to help him by giving him water but he pushed his face deeper into the sheet and coughed harder

"Sam are you alright?" she finally asked feeling out of her depth in this

"I don't have long Sweetheart" he told her

"Is there anyone I can call?" she asked

"No I need to be with Mercy"

"Surely Daniel would want to know what's happening with you?"

"No he's coping with enough" he said fanning her to stop "I promised Mercy" he said coughing again, when he lifted up Tiny saw blood and went into full panic

"I need to get someone Sam I can't do this on my own"

"I dont... have anyone" he said going back into a cough

"Medication do you have medication?" as he nodded yes and pointed to his small case, Tiny grabbed the case and found the medication read the label and administered the dose "Is that better?" she asked as he nodded a yes again "I'll be back in a bit" she said almost running from the room and getting her phone out at the same time.

"Mom" she said as soon as she picked up "Sam he came to visit and now he's in bed coughing up blood and I'm scared will you come help me?" she asked all at once

"Who's Sam Tiny, where are you?" she asked concerned

"I'm at Grandma's and Sam's the love of her life he's come here to die he said and he's bleeding from his mouth Mom" she said irritated for having to say it again

"Send him to hospital what does he expect you to do?"

"Nothing, he's living out some promise he made to Grandma to die with her or something, I can't think I just know he's in Grandma's bed, dying and I'm on my own dealing with this, I need you to come to Grandma's Mom as soon as you can"

"Calm down Tiny, I'll come but only because you're hysterical, I really don't want anything to do with this man you've decided to befriend" Tiny finished the call somewhat calmer knowing her Mom was going to be there in the next maybe 7 hours.

"Sam" she said walking back into the bedroom "I've called my Mom she'll know what to do about all this, I don't have a clue" she said trying to make light of the situation

"Woo, the big guns" he half laughed "She could always get me to do something or the other" he coughed "Ask her to sing to me, when she comes she loved to sing to me" he forced out

"I can sing" Tiny informed him

"It's a family gift" he smiled

"Yeah" Mercy smiled as she got the old portable keyboard from the corner of the room and wiped it off "Grandma brought me this years ago" she giggled at the memory of her trying to play it "I sing Jazz really so here goes" she smiled as she played the introduction before singing her version of **'The Sweetest Gift' by Sade** a tear falling from her eye as she realised the love this man had for her Grandma "Thank you for loving my Grandma" she said

"I should be thanking her for loving me" he smiled "You sing like an angel" he said as a tear left his eye and then they closed

"Sam" Tiny almost shouted

"Yeah" he said opening his eyes in shock

"Sorry I thought..."

"I'm still here, one of the pleasures of getting old, I nod off anytime" he smiled as he closed his eyes again and she left him to sleep

Her Mom arrived at 11.15 pm with food they sat talking for about an hour before Patrice finally stopped ragging Tiny and they decided to go to bed, Tiny checked in on Sam as her Mom insisted they lock the bedroom door for the night with that stranger in the house.

 **Sunday 4** **th** **December 2016**

The following morning Patrice was up bright and early cooking breakfast, being the perfect hostess to this stranger that supposedly loved her Mother "Tiny" she shouted as she prepared Sam's tray "Tiny" she shouted again but still got no answer. After waiting for about 3 minutes she decided to take the warm food to the man instead of leaving it to go totally cold, picked up the tray and headed to her Mother's bedroom, she felt odd doing this for that room and it not being her Mother but something compelled her to make sure this person was treated like royalty. Her Mom had instilled in her that she needed to follow her instinct because it was usually right and just because she was no longer here didn't actually mean she could stop practising her morals "Morning" she walked in saying finding the small table to put the tray on and brushing down her apron and fixing her hair before turning round to face the man

"Patty" he smiled as her face came into view

"Mr E?" she asked as she looked at him trying to make him out

"Yes Patty it's me Mr E" he laughed as he reached for her, she stepped forward and grabbed his hand

"Mr E what are you doing here?" she asked

"My you're a beauty Patty, I'm so proud of you" he said pulling her to him

"You're Sam?" she asked

"Yes I'm Sam sweetheart"

"I was only little, but I remember you were good to us, to me, we loved you Mr E why did you go away?"

"What did your Mom tell you?" he asked as she moved closer to him

"Nothing you just stopped visiting and we left" she said pulling her hand away

"Look in my bag" he said pointing to it as Patricia got up to get it and bring it to him "Read this letter" he instructed her as she opened and read the letter Tiny had read the previous day, looking at him with tears in her eyes

"I didn't even know Dad had a brother"

"He wasn't actually a blood brother he was just very close to your Dad" Sam told her as he pulled out more paper "Look" he said shoving things in her hand "I never forgot either of you" he said as Patrice sat looking at pictures of the three of them together, happy times, she clung to him like he was her father and for all intents and purposes that's exactly who she thought he was at the time, she was in his arms, on his shoulders, round his legs and he was always smiling with his other arm around her Mother

"We were happy weren't we?" she asked looking up from the pictures

"We were" he smiled "But I hope you understand why your Mom did what she did?"

"I guess I do now I'm older, but honestly I blamed you, all these years I blamed you" she said grabbing hold of his hand as he squeezed hers and they shared a moment "I missed you Mr E" she laughed as Tiny came into the room

"Oh I was just ..." she tapered off as she saw the two holding hands "What's going on here then?" she asked

"Your Mom remembered me" he smiled

"And Breakfast is cold" she said looking at the tray of food on the side table "I'll do it, you guys catch up" she said grabbing the tray and leaving the room

The conversation was in full swing when Tiny returned to the room 30 minutes later with her make shift breakfast nothing as big as her Mom had done earlier "Brunch is up" she said sliding the tray on the side table and walking to the other side of the bed to help her Mom pull Sam to a sitting position. Joining in with the chat, laughter and memories until Breakfast was finished almost choking on her last bite when her Mom asked

"So Mr E, what's all this about not wanting your family around when you go visit Mom?"

"I won't be visiting her I'll finally be going to live with her"

"Not if you don't make everything down here right first" Patrice warned him

"You're right about that" he chuckled making himself cough again as Tiny ran for his medication "Compromise" he said once he'd stopped "My grandson can come but no one else until I'm gone"

"I remember you like your compromises" Patrice laughed "Okay contact details for your Grandson please?" she asked as he reeled a number off without giving them time to get phones out or paper to write on "Stop it" she laughed "You're ill, number" she said looking at Tiny to see if she was ready as she nodded the go ahead "Now" she said as Sam said the number again much slower this time

Mercy heard the phone ring and got up and left the room to have the conversation "Hello" she said "Hello" she repeated "This is a bad line" she said "Hello"

"Hello" a voice came back at her saying

"Hello could I speak to Sam's Grandson please" she smiled "Sorry I forgot his name"

"Sam" the voice came back to her saying

"Of course sorry, yeah Sam please"

"Yeah it's Sam, where's my Granddad?" he asked

"He's at my house at the moment, in South Carolina"

"What's he doing there?"

"Long story but he's not well and he's said we can call only you to come to him"

"Where is he?" he asked with some urgency at hearing the news as Tiny passed on the address to him and he made arrangements to get a plane and he'd hopeful be there soon "Sorry" he finally said before closing the call down "What's your name?"

"Tin...I mean Mercy, my name's Mercy" she smiled "See you soon Sam"

Soon it was 5.30 pm and Sam and Patrice hadn't really stopped talking yet, he'd fall asleep for an hour or so wake up calling for her she'd waltze back into the bedroom and then laughing, giggling, clapping and then quiet again as he slept "Sing for me Patty" Tiny heard him say as she went to open the door and stood back. _'Was she going to see something rare and beautiful tonight her Mother sing to this old man who she obviously looked upon as her father figure'_ she stood shocked as her Mom without argument leaned forward grabbed his hand and started singing her version of **'Holding back the Years' By Angie Stone** "That's for you and Mom" she said rubbing his hand "Use it as your wedding song" she laughed

After waiting for an appropriate amount of time Tiny entered the room talking"Mom I got to go see Mark and Claudine and I think Cain will be there never misses an opportunity" she smiled "I'm expecting his Grandson about 11pm so I'll be back well before that" she said as she made for the door stopping to ask "Do you need anything?"

"No we're fine" she said, and the door shut "Typical Tiny move, I come to help and end up holding the baby" she smiled "But you're such a wanted baby I really don't mind" she told his fretful face "Sam will be here soon" she said rubbing his hand, thinking totally different things to what she'd made herself believe all these years about this man, she thought he was her Dad back then, that he had abandoned them and broken her Mother's heart.

She didn't know when it happened but they eventually fell asleep, him in bed and her in the chair beside him, she was woken by banging at the door "Hold up" she shouted alerting Sam to the invasion as he opened his eyes and watched her walk out the room "Hello..." she said opening the door to see her memory of her Dad, as in Mr E, standing in front of her "Sam you must be Sam" she smiled as he stepped in unasked

"Yes I am, I heard my Granddad was here, sick?" he asked while looking around

"Hello Sam" Patrice said as his attention focused back on her

"Sorry hello, how rude of me, I just need to see my Granddad..."

"Patrice" she told him

"Patty?" he asked

"That's what your Granddad calls me yes"

"You exist" he smiled "I've heard the stories, well rants, of his long lost daughter, but you're …."

"Black yeah, and I'm not actually his daughter, he was in love with my Mom"

"Sorry that was so rude" he said embarrassed

"I guess I would have asked the same question" she smiled "Come on in, do you need anything to drink or something?"

"I'm sorry but I'm really anxious to see my Granddad" he said looking into her eyes

"Come on you just woke him up with your knocking" she said guiding him down the corridor and into the bedroom

"Granddad" he gasped when he entered the room and saw his smiling face "I was so worried"

"Good to see you Dot" he said holding his arms up for the hug that was coming as Sam fell into it "How did you get away from your parents?"

"I wasn't with them, I left them yesterday and got home last night to an empty house, there was I all worried about you being on your own, to find you're on the other side of the country, doing what?"

"I came to see Mercy but she's not here any more"

"I spoke to Mercy on the phone earlier"

"Oh that's Tiny my Daughter" Patrice butted in "I'll leave you two to it" she said backing out of the room

She left them talking in the room until Tiny came back and she filled her in on what had happened "What does he eat?" Tiny asked

"I really don't know I didn't speak to him that long before he went in" Patrice informed her

"I'll go ask"

"I'll ask" Patrice said getting up to enter the bedroom again to enquire "Whatever" she came out saying waving her hands about "They're just as indecisive as your Dad" she told Tiny "They were deep in conversation and young Sam had the letters" she almost whispered

Two hours later Tiny was preparing the table for dinner "We'll feed Sam and then eat ourselves" she suggested as her Mom nodded in agreement

"I'll bring this through for Sam" Patrice said not able to do enough for this Man she felt was her Dad, as she walked out the kitchen with the tray

"Hello Tiny I assume?" Tiny heard coming from the door and spun round to see a guy her age with blond hair shoulder length, big green eyes; like his Granddad's and full lips, taking her breath away as she realised she was staring

"Yes, well Mercedes really but family call me Tiny friends call me Mercy, take your pick" she finally got out as she finally looked back at Sam standing there with his eyes glazed and fixed on her "Sam is it?" she asked presenting her hand for shaking

"Yes it's Sam or Dot as my family call me, and I need to thank you for helping Granddad, and letting me know" he smiled before moving forward to half hug her. She leaned in for a full hug without understanding why as she smelt his hair, neck, aftershave, clothes closing her eyes at the unfamiliar memory she somehow needed to keep "Thank you" he said pulling out with some discomfort "I really needed that" he said to her standing there before him with closed eyes, still in her memory

"Sorry" she said when she opened her eyes to see Sam smiling back at her, his eyes dancing over her face as he stopped to watch her bite her bottom lip and let out a wet lip ready for sucking "Dinner" she said looking behind her at the food she was serving before he came in "Sit down, I'll be a minute" she said feeling the need to straighten up her clothes as if she'd just jumped out of bed

Lucky for them Patrice wasn't long feeding Sam, he didn't eat much anyway and dinner was filled with her telling stories of life with Grandma and her memories of Mr E, or Sam, as she'd grown to call him over the past few days. "I'll sit with him tonight I really don't think he has long left and I don't' want him to be alone" she said as she got up to go to him

"He wanted to see us all" Sam told her as Tiny brought the plates to the sink

"Come on then" Patrice said moving her hand telling them to come like an excited child, as they all piled into the bedroom, Tiny sat on the stool, Patrice on the chair and Sam on the bed "So Sam you called?" she asked

"Aarrhh" he said seeing them all around him

"Dot I have to apologise to you for not saying anything about this lot" he said coughing "But I lost my heart to their Mother stroke Grandmother many years before I met your Nan and I made a promise as you read" he said coughing again for longer than the first time as all three looked at each other saying without words that he was near the end "I need to be clear on my wishes and I need you all to agree for this to happen and fight for it" he paused "I need to be laid to rest with Mercy" he said looking around the room at the three faces

"What about Grandma" Sam asked "Why wouldn't you want to be with Grandma?" he asked filling up

"Grandma knew about this Dot" he smiled

"So you want to be here with Ms Mercy?" he asked again "So how do you expect Dad to agree with this" he almost laughed

"That's why I need you three to be together on this" he said looking around the room

"I know my Mother wanted this, I feel her talking to me, I have no questions" Patrice said

"I read the letter I know she wanted this" Tiny said smiling at her Mom

"Are you three agreed?" Sam asked his Grandson, Patrice and Tiny

"Yes" Sam said as everyone in the room smiled

"Okay" he sighed as if he'd just fought a war, his head falling back on the pillows puffed up behind him "I'm ready" he said looking up as he smiled "I'm ready Mercy" That night all three stayed in the room with him

 **Sam's Flashback**

 _Sam closed his eyes remembering and hoping that they'd take up exactly where they'd left off, he sat remembering how they finally got talking after nearly four months of looks, smiles and suggestive words_

" _Are we going to go further with this thing" Mercy asked him one afternoon when they found themselves loading boxes into the small storage cupboard_

" _Thing?" He's asked with a smile on his face_

" _Don't play with me you've been giving me the look for the past four months" she giggled_

" _You have a beautiful laugh" he said smiling_

" _You have beautiful" she told him back making him blush before he dragged her into the cupboard_

" _Can I get a kiss?" he asked when the door shut_

" _No" she told him opening the door and letting herself back out_

" _Mercy" he pushed the door open after her saying to be faced with Randell. Randell was one of these leave our women alone type of guys, so even talking to a black woman offended him, Sam thought fast "We're loading the cupboard orders and she's gone for her break" he smiled as he picked another box up_

 _Later that day he saw her in the dining room, she blew him a kiss, he acted like he'd caught it smiling as he watched her giggle so hard everyone looked_

" _You coming to the joint tonight Mercy?" The Commander asked_

" _No, I didn't go out when Graham was alive why would I want to now?" she asked walking through the canteen "I'm just going home, to bed" she said as she passed Sam's table, knocking him as she spoke_

" _This woman and her mixed messages" he said rolling his eyes as he sneak peaked her walking away, clapping his hands together at the prospect of rocking up at her place later_

 _2 hours later, when he heard the rowdy lot leaving for the joint he held on for about a minute before he started making his way to Mercy's cabin. He knocked the door and within seconds she was standing there "Sam" she said with a smile on her face "Nice of you to visit" she said looking out the door both ways before dragging him in_

" _Did I ever tell you I play a very aggressive game"_

" _Did anyone ever tell you, you have the most kissable lips" he asked as he stood over her looking down at them_

" _I have two pairs" she said making him laugh_

" _I guess I'm up for tasting both" he said finally grabbing her to him preventing her from falling onto the bed, seconds before the look became a touch and the touch became something much more intimate. A few hours later Sam was leaving her cabin, unbeknown to him, the commander saw him_

" _So you riding on the dark side?" he asked Sam in the canteen as he walked past his table the next day_

" _The dark side?" Sam asked looking around the table at the guys who knew exactly what the Commander was talking about_

" _You been to the dark side?" they asked him around the table_

" _Shit shit shit I did not hear that, a white boy does not want to get killed today" Randell came in saying as Sam rolled his eyes_

" _Randell I don't want to hear it" Sam shouted through the room at him, getting up_

 _And so the ridicule started by day four Mercy couldn't take the segregation, back biting and ill feeling amongst her so called colleagues, her camels back broke when the children started spitting at Patrice and in a bid to save things Sam moved them into the house he'd just brought off camp and put them in it, two weeks later the Commander found out resulting in Mercy fleeing with Patrice to South Carolina_

 _"It's time to be together again Sam" she appeared saying while smiling at him_

 **End of Flashback**

"Mercy finally" he said opening his eyes as all three stood looking at him before he closed them again "I'm here" he smiled


	3. Chapter 3

"He's met up with her look he's smiling" Patrice said in tears for how romantic, her version of the story had ended, Dot stood witnessing the facial gestures and honestly he believed it too

 **Sam's Flash**

 _"I see you" she said as they moved closer to each other_

 _"Can I kiss you?" Sam asked as he got to her_

 _"No" Mercy said making him laugh, as she suddenly became serious and kissed him "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before you passed, but I'll always love you" she said holding his left cheek_

 _"You did, I read the letter you wrote, Tiny showed it to me" he said pulling her closer to him "And I'll love you forever too" he said as she turned and started walking into the light, her man by her side as promised_

 **End of Flash**

 **Monday 5** **th** **December 2016**

That night all three stayed in the room with him and at 04.27 that morning he passed, they would have wanted to say peacefully in his sleep, but the man was near laughing. Eventually the doctor was called and he was taken to the mortuary before Dot called his parents to let them know. His Dad cried loudly over the phone while his Mom had to take control and get instructions for them to get there. At 07.00 there was an unusual glow in the sky bringing a smile to their faces as they all quietly imagined Sam had just married his Mercy and merriment was being had from all four corners of the universe

"I guess we sit and wait now for your Dad to get here?" Tiny asked Dot as they stripped and re-spread the bed and made ready the room for either Mercy and Patrice or Dot's parents. Nobody ate lunch they just pottered around the house waiting for this confrontation Dot had told them to expect Patrice and Tiny being more nervous than him.

Cain and Claudine were coming to visit for some young company and she was sure Mark would have gotten wind of it and he'd be turning up too "I'm sorry but I invited friends round this evening obviously I didn't realise you know" she said pointing at the bedroom

"That's fine more young people, always good" Dot smiled "They've landed" he said looking at his Mobile "They'll get a cab from the airport, it's easy enough" he laughed as Tiny made herself busy in the kitchen doing nothing just calming nerves. He couldn't help watching her as she walked around touching things that didn't need to be touched, watching her backside swing as she moved, from side to side and up and down, her mouth had a constant corner smile on it, like she knew what he was thinking and agreeing with it. What was he doing sitting in the kitchen of his Grandfather's lover peeling the clothes off this woman he barely knew the name of and dreaming about rubbing himself on, around and in her, he chuckled

"You alright Dot" Tiny asked smiling

"Actually I am Tiny" he smiled back

Twenty minutes later and he was stood at the front door welcoming his parents, "Mom Dad this is Tiny and Patrice, Mercy's daughter and granddaughter" he said as he walked them in the house

"Patty?" Daniel said to Patrice amazement "Dad spoke of you often" he said hugging her "I know he loved you, sometimes I thought more than he loved me" he laughed as she looked at him not knowing how to take that "Don't worry we got that straight" he smiled "I was definitely his Prince while your place was as a mere princess" he laughed "And you really are a real life princess" he said hugging her again "I'm actually happy to meet you finally but the circumstances" he said shaking his head as his mood changed

"Sorry for your loss" she quickly dropped in

"He gets that from Grandma he'll talk you to death if you don't stop him" Dot said shaking his head "He's not going to so, this is Michelle my Mom" he finished as Michelle said a quiet hello and sunk back into Daniel's background

"Hi Michelle" Patrice said hugging her followed by Tiny as they showed them into the main room "You can settle in the main room or the second bedroom" she told them as they walked

"Which one was Dad in?" Daniel asked

"The main room" Patrice answered

"We'll have that one if you don't mind" he said as Dot and Tiny brought their bags to the bedroom. They sat talking for a long while before the bell went and Tiny informed them that she had to apologise for friends turning up and she'd ask them to leave if they didn't want the noise right now

"No that's fine you young ones go try have some fun" Michelle said having come out of her shell a bit since arriving

"Claudine" Tiny said going in for a hug when she opened the door

"So much drama at the Anderson abode" Claudine said hugging her back before she hugged Cain and then Mark

"This is Sam he's Granddad passed this morning" Tiny said as they all passed on their condolences "Drink anyone?" she asked as they moved towards the veranda

"We have liquid refreshments" Cain said holding up a bottle as Tiny dragged Claudine with her to get glasses

"He looks alright" Claudine said to Tiny as they stood at the cupboard looking at Sam on the veranda stood listening to Mark and Cain

"Yeah he is easy on the eye" she smiled

"Very" Claudine said wiggling her eyebrows

"Err Cain?" Tiny asked raising her eyebrows back at her

"Cain's fine" she said knocking Tiny as they laughed out loud making Dot look through the window at them and smile back as he saw Claudine's eyes roll and he knew they were talking about him

He stayed in his conversation with the guys, catching looks at Tiny as he watched her hand grab the glass how her fingers confidently curved around the stem of the glass and her thumb rubbed the side of the glass as she stood speaking to Claudine. He imagined that thumb stroking him on his face, his lips, back, pulling his hips into her and stroking him soft enough to enjoy but hard enough to get him off "Wooo" he said stopping the conversation

"You alright Sam?" Cain asked looking at his line of sight as Mark caught on

"Don't even bother friend, we've been trying for a lifetime, it's not happening" Mark laughed saying

"Don't know what you're talking about" Dot laughed

Finally Claudine and Tiny came out with the glasses and they poured drinks and sat chatting for what seemed like an age "Work in the morning" Mark finally announced as everyone got up to exit "We'll go round the back you guys stay were you are" he added as Mercy sat back down after hugging Claudine. Cane and Mark came down to hug her while Sam stood and hugged Claudine and man hugged Mark and Cain then watched them leave before walking past the chair that he was sitting at opposite Tiny and sat on the swing chair with her

"Great friends you have" he smiled as he picked the bottle up and poured himself another drink before offering her one which she took

"They're alright but right now I'm more interested in you" she said knocking glasses with him "Who is Sam 'Dot' Evans?" she asked

Dot started almost from birth as he led Tiny through his life, of school, trying college and finding himself in the Navy "Granddad would have loved me to have done music or art or something like that he loved those things, and I can play at those but I need something stable you know the kind of career you can raise a family on?"

"I guess I do really" she said looking at her hands before carrying on to say "I'm all things music, I sing, play instruments everything and I'm hoping it will get me somewhere" she smiled "I'm going into teaching"

"That's brilliant" he said excited for her "God" he said calming down again

"What?" she asked with concern

"My Granddad's just died and I'm sitting here thinking you're ticking so many of my boxes I can't concentrate"

"I don't actually understand any of that, but let's sleep on it" Tiny said fully understanding that meaning but preferring to play dumb about it

"Yeah lets" he said getting up and taking a step before he realised he'd left her on the chair "Sorry" he said stepping back "Ladies first" he said gesturing for her to go in front of him "Sorry if I offended you saying that" he almost whispered in her ear as she stepped off in front of him

"Oh I see you're sleeping out here, so good night" she said rushing through the main room and down the hall to the bedroom she was sharing with her Mom

Mercy got in the room looked to see what her Mom was doing before flopping into the vacant chair, she sat watching her Mother sleep as her mind and body went into turmoil. _'Tiny his Granddad just died, his emotions are all over the damn place and you've got him, undressing you slow and seductive, undoing your skirt, removing your underwear, laying you on that damn garden chair, grabbing your nipples in his hands and ….'_ "Stop" she whispered to herself as she looked around the room _'What he said wasn't even sexy'_ she told herself puzzled at her reaction to him _'It was the heat of his breath it undressed me and made love to me, God I need him to make love to me'_ "Stop" she told herself again as she got up out the chair this time and went towards the bathroom to get ready for bed

Dot had stood by the couch watching Tiny walk away from him, yet again wondering why in God's name he hadn't grabbed hold of her and laid her out right there. She'd long gone but he was still kneeling on the couch watching the space she'd just occupied, reliving that ass move _'He'd grabbed her back to him as she walked in front of him pressed her up against the veranda window, hoisted her leg up onto his hips, moved her panties to the side_ and dived into her soft, warm, wet skin' "Calm Down Dot" he told himself as he felt movement, he lay there for a long while looking like he was sleeping in a tent, forcing himself to think about his Granddad until sleep found him.

 **Tuesday 6** **th** **December 2016**

"Morning Dot" Tiny said laughing as she walked through the main room the scenic route to the kitchen

"Morning" he said stopping all activities when he saw she only had on pyjama shorts and top with something that might have passed for a mini dressing gown, he was back there again his mind in overdrive with a risk of grown ups fogging the picture any minute now "You're warm then" he said pulling the blanket up to cover more of him

"Not so much warm as hot" she said looking over her shoulder at him, looking all 'take me now' with a dare on her face

"I'll say" he shouted as she disappeared round the door as he sat up trying to get rid of the evidence before his parents entered the room "God I'm like 23 and I'm still not in control of this shit yet" he said concentrating on cooling down "I was though, I know I was" he said as he heard his Mother's voice and suddenly his problem was solved

"Morning Dot" she said going in for a hug

"Dot" his Dad came in saying with a smile "Sorry about the couch"

"We agreed last night after breakfast today we'd deal with the funeral" his Mom told him

"You're both aware Granddad wanted to be buried here with Mercy yeah?" Dot asked

"No" his Dad said stopping his walking flow and turning to look at him

"Dad" Dot jumped up saying, making sure he had the blanket in his hand to cover himself "I know you want him to be with Grandma I do too, but it's his wishes"

"No way, he's going home, he's my Dad and I have the last say, he's going home" Daniel said walking off leaving Sam to himself, so even if he wanted to say anything else, the platform wasn't there

"What's the matter?" Tiny asked as Daniel and Michelle came into the kitchen obviously angry at something

"Dot said Dad wanted to be buried here" Daniel told her

"That's right he told us before he passed" Tiny said to Daniel's horror

"Why is everyone making plans about my Dad behind my back?" he stood in the kitchen shouting as Patrice came in from the veranda and Sam walked in from the main room, to find an open mouthed Tiny standing at the fridge looking at Daniel

"Dan everyone knows he's your Dad, why do you think you're here?" Michelle asked him as he spun to look at her "And this conversation is exactly why he didn't call you before he passed" she said walking off out of the kitchen obviously upset

"Sorry" Daniel said looking around at everyone before following his wife back out of the kitchen

Sam's eyes followed his Dad out the door before turning back to focus on where Patrice was, as he saw her stepping back out onto the veranda he started again "So Tiny" he smiled going towards the fridge where she stood "How do you feel about the forces?" he asked

"I don't know, I don't really know anyone from there, you're my first one" she grinned at him saying, he saw all sorts of come on in that grin

"I feel like I've told you everything about me and I know nothing about you" he told her as he picked up and apple and washed it before biting into it

"You're sorting the funeral out today I hear" she told him

"We're sorting the funeral out today" he said back side eyeing her

"Okay we, I was just waiting for the invite" she smiled

"When are you not playing games?" he asked as she'd brought a smile to his face

"When I'm serious" she told him too busy concentrating on the cooking she was doing to turn and look at him this time

"So" he said making her look in his direction "Your story tonight on the veranda, should we say after dinner?" he asked "I'm excited to hear it" he smiled taking another bite of his apple before making his way to the dinning table to sit and watch her work

"I'll think about it" she said after watching him make his way to the table

"What time is breakfast?" Patrice came in asking

"It's ready just get Daniel and Michelle and we can start" Tiny said as she visually followed her Mom leaving the kitchen

"Do you do that naturally or are you laying it on thick for my benefit?" Sam asked he couldn't take the suspense any longer

"Do?" Tiny asked her face totally blank

"Walk around looking so freaking fit" he said a major smirk on his face producing a lopsided grin _'What the hell was that?'_ Mercy asked pulling herself together trying to catch her breath as her heart beat ten to the dozen like it was going to burst out of her t-shirt. She was aware it was beating but that first bang had caught her off guard and she was busy getting over it conscious that Sam had asked her a question and she needed somehow to provide him with an answer _'Thank you'_ she thought

"Thank you" she said grateful for her dark skin right now

"What?" he laughed asking

"For em, for saying that I'm fit" she smiled and walked off back to the cooker "Grab some plates please" she asked him with her back to him pointing to the cabinet _'Seriously if I believed in it even I'd say I just felt love but is that possible, no girl not right now when you've just planned your life out, newly qualified, got your new job in Ohio, made your mind up to keep this damn house, no'_ she told herself as he came near her left side with the plates

"Okay let's eat" Patrice said walking back in with Michelle and Daniel following her, they sat down and ate and made plans for the funeral, Daniel had no more talk of what he needed obviously Michelle and Patrice had done a number on him

Patrice helped with booking the Church, while Daniel and Dot chose the coffin, hymns were a joint venture and then they left to go sort out clothes for Sam and have them delivered to the funeral home before they went to got clothes for themselves. They took a break at 2.30 pm for a late lunch before finishing off clothes shopping and then focusing on flowers, wake and food, they weren't expecting more than just them so it was agreed they go for a late church and early dinner while having one drink at the local for the happy couple. Daniel broke down at the parlour because he'd missed his Mother's funeral with being in hospital at the time, surprisingly it was Patrice he went to for comfort and by the time they got home there were definite bonds made between Michelle, Daniel and Patrice

After dinner, Patrice called Neville "Sweet, things are near the funeral here and I just wondered if you had time to come down?" she asked

"Am I really needed there?" he asked

"I always need you Sweet, come down" she said whining "Please?" she asked

"Okay, you Anderson women" he laughed

"Thank you" she smiled saying "11 o'clock then" she said "Bring a suit" she pulled the phone back up to her ear saying "Tiny, Dad's coming tonight" she shouted through the house

Dot and Tiny were settling out on the garden swing with glasses of wine in hand and cake on the table in front of them "So" Dot said when they'd settled in properly "This is your life" he laughed, as Tiny licked her lips and started talking started from what her Father had told her happened on the day she was born, through first school into bullying senior year because of her talent, finishing at opportunity knocking University and landing the job in Ohio

"Ohio?" Dot asked

"Yeah, I'll be going there when term starts in about 5 weeks" she said happy

"I was going to be based near Lima about 6 months ago, I turned it down, might jump at it next time" he said excitedly

"We'll have to get a coffee sometime, if you do, when they let you out that is" she laughed

"I'm not locked up" he laughed with her "Will you sing at the funeral tomorrow?" he asked

"We'll see what your Dad says about that shall we, wouldn't want him bursting a blood vessel again" they laughed before Dot got serious again

"Tiny, there's something going on here, I don't know what it is, but it's going on" he said looking at her demanding her attention, "I know this has come at the worst time but I don't know, I don't think I've stopped thinking about you since we met"

"Dot this isn't possi..." she started to say as she got up

"Wait" he said standing up with her "I'm sorry, I know timing is bad and everything, let's park this" he said as he looked into her eyes _'Damn she's so damn fine don't check her out look in her eyes, I'm nervous as hell right now, I'm not going to ask I'm going to take that kiss'_ he told himself as he watched her tongue sweep across her lips leaving them wet and willing "But I need to..." he said as his hand involuntarily came up and cupped her cheek _'My God what the hell is that'_ he thought dragging his hand away "Did you feel that?" he asked her rubbing his hand

"Yeah I did" she replied rubbing her cheek for the shock she just got from his touch

"Sorry" he said going in to touch her cheek again "Shit" he said when he felt the pain again, but this time he forged through it "I got to do this" he said aware that Tiny's eyes hadn't left his since they stood up. They stood him with his hand on her cheek unable to move it and her fused to his hand feeling electricity mixed with a warmth that made her want to close her eyes and fall asleep in it. "I'm going to.."

"Tiny" her Mom shouted from the main room "Your Dad's here" she said, Tiny's normal reaction would have been to race past her Mom and hug her Dad but she couldn't move from the hold Dot had on her

"I need to go see my Dad" she told him "You need to let go of me" she said still looking into his eye

"Sorry, we've fused" he smiled "I'm not holding you"

"I don't think I want to go" she smiled

"Your Dad's waiting" he said as her Mom called her again, then the struggle for both of them started as they forced themselves away from each other smiling awkwardly not actually understanding what actually happened, as they walked towards the main room door

"Dad" she said running to him for her hug

"Tiny" he said "It seems too long since I saw my only child" as he hugged her back "And you must be Sam?" he asked Dot as he stood back watching Tiny with her Dad, a smile on his face at their interaction

"Yes Sir" Sam said grabbing his hand and giving it a good solid shake "Thank you for coming"

"No sweat, great to meet you all" Neville said smiling around the room "I'm sorry but I was at work first thing on a plane for 6 hours and now I am wrecked I need my bed" he laughed grabbing hold of Patrice and his case "Where are you tonight Tiny?" he asked

"In the den I guess" she smiled as she watched them leave

"Catch up tomorrow guys" he said as he exited the room

"I'm whacked too" Tiny announced not looking at Dot, as she turned to leave the room

"Where's the den?" he asked

"Under the house" she said as she left

Dot sat listening to his parents talk in the background pretending to watch the TV, his mind was focused on what happened between Tiny and him _'I felt electricity for Christ sake, shocked; I was electrically shocked for touching her and she felt it too, that twinge I felt a few days ago is big, mega, I could tell she was as dazed as I was, and she stands there trying to act like shit didn't happen. I know she felt that she told me she did, I'm in love one touch and I'm in love, Dad will think I'm crazy if I bring this to him, he'll blame it on grief or something but I know, hold up is it grief?"_ he asked himself as his eyes closed to take it all in and let it all out

Tiny's head was so fuzzed she literally jumped into bed dragged the covers over her head and willed herself to sleep to forget it all nothing was interfering with her plans

 **Wednesday 7** **th** **December 2016**

The house woke up as was normal this past week, Daniel and Michelle went to dress their Dad while Patrice checked out the arrangements and Tiny talked Dot into singing a song with her if he was up to it. By 2 pm everyone was back at the house looking to get ready for the 3 pm funeral, everyone went off to the Church shocked to see so much of the community had turned up for this unknown man but out of respect for Ms Mercy. Daniel wanted a traditional service so the choir led the singing proceedings and everyone was fine with that, Sam held his Dad for most of the service and came out blowing hard as he looked at Tiny with his water filled eyes

"It's a hard day" he told her when he realised she was staring at him

"I know and I feel so helpless" she frowned at him saying, as she walked towards him

"You're here that helps" he smiled

"Dot" his Dad shouted making him turn to see what the matter was, to find his Dad's outstretched arms waiting for him. He turned back to look at Tiny for a second before walking off to be with his Dad, unable to imagine what it would be like to be standing there saying goodbye to him but knowing that in the scheme of things that was more than likely going to happen

They got to the graveside and Daniel decided he needed to say something, Patricia was broken all she could see was her Mother a few months back and the pain was still so raw, Tiny kept filling up and demanding of herself to be brave for her Mom because her Dad was forever breaking down too and someone needed to keep order

"I'd just like to say a few words" Daniel said as they stood looking down at the coffin "Dad has finally been laid to rest, I guess I always knew this was what he wanted he never stopped talking about Mercy" he laughed to himself "Most guys would have been going on about the one that got away, not my Dad, he was on about the one he was going to end up with" he said rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he spoke grabbing hold of Michelle's hand and pulling her to him "I think if I'm honest Mom and Dad knew they were second best for each other and they were content with their lot, I guess her skeletons are yet to come out" he chuckled "I loved my Dad and I know he loved me but his heart was taken real early on in his life and I respected him for always making sure that he kept things above board and told it like it is, and the love of a good woman did that for him, I sort of know what that's like" he smiled at Michelle saying "When it gets you it gets you Dad always said" he smiled looking down at the coffin "I'll love you forever Dad" he said throwing a flower on the coffin and hugging his wife "You got me" he told his Dad

"I guess as his name sake I should say something" Dot said as his Mom hugged him "I wanted to sing a song for Granddad, but I didn't think what we did together was appropriate for church so I missed but, if you don't mind, I'd like to sing it now" he said smiling nervously "I wish I had a guitar" he said looking around

"Hold up" Neville said leaving the grave and returning a few minutes later with a rather old guitar "Mom brought this for Tiny years ago, we keep it in the car, I think she's played it maybe twice" he smiled at her, while handing the guitar to Dot

"Thanks" Dot said quickly tuning it up as everyone sat about talking or watching him do his thing "Granddad liked me to sing to him, he seemed to think, or should I say wish, it was my calling, I like it because it's something we did together, and I dedicate this to him and Mercy actually" he said as he started strumming the guitar and when he'd composed himself he started singing his version of **'Granddaddy's Chair' by Kane Brown** when he finished Tiny went up to him and gave him a hug, his heart beating as if it was trying to burst out of his chest made her look up at him

"You alright?" she asked concerned

"Yeah it's you being so close" he smiled down at her

"Sorry" she said pulling away as he grabbed her hand when she made to walk away from him and they made their way back to the house for eats

"Mom, Dad" Dot said when they'd all settled in "I love you both and we'll always remember Granddad in our own way but please no more Dot as the only living Sam in our family I'd like my name back" he announced as everyone stood looking at him shocked at his speech

"And while Sam's being reborn so to speak" Tiny said looking around the small group, before looking up at Sam "I guess we can bring Mercy back too" she smiled at him saying. Both of them unable to loose the hold they'd got on each others hand from the graveside as the electricity, they were getting used to now, surged through the connection

"And I have no problem with that" Daniel said "You can be called whatever you want to be called" his smiled back at him looking between Tiny and him as he spoke "But" he said pausing to think "I, sorry, we had you and we'll call you anything we see fit to call you which for me is Dot" he smiled wider "It's said with affection Son not ridicule and Dad gave you that name because you were a tiny dot fighting for your life in that incubator all those years ago, it was a seriously scary time for us" he said looking at Michelle "I for one never want to forget how precious you are"

"And don't be standing there telling us you're not who we say you are" Neville said pointing at Tiny

"Okay we get it" Dot said, smiling at Tiny "You guys have the right but please not in company"

"Agreed" his Mom said looking up at his Dad

"Agreed" Tiny's parents said together

"I'll put that back in the den shall I?" Sam said looking at the battered guitar before picking it up and walking towards the door into the unknown, Mercy closely following him, not because she really wanted to but their hands were fused together, it was obvious neither of them could break free. "Where was it?" Sam asked when he got into the den looking around at the furniture in the room an old sewing machine had pride of place on a massive dining table "What was that used for?" he asked pointing at the table

"Only Grandma would know that one, she probably brought the house with it in and didn't want to offend the sellers by throwing it away" she laughed pointing over by the old piano at a guitar stand "Why are we joined at the hand?" she asked as she found herself moving with him towards the guitar stand

"You try letting go" he told her

"I don't know that I want to" she giggled as she watched him trying to straighten the guitar with one hand "Do you need some help there?" she asked moving round to be his right hand as they got into sync and set the instrument straight. On straightening up herself she found Sam standing directly in front of her as their eyes met "We can't walk around forever connected" she smiled up at him trying to break the tension

"We can do what we've been dying to do for the past few days" he told her

"Pray tell what have we been dying to do?" she said her eyes playfully daring him to say the word

"You're playing with me again" he smiled down at her as she noticed the small dimples in his cheeks as his nose almost scrunched and his mouth opened producing the perfect smile with white perfect teeth flashing at her as his blond brown almost non-existent hair shone in the dark from the expensive shampoo he used _'God just kiss me'_ she thought as she stood looking up at him

Sam stood looking down at Mercy and all that was in his head was ' _I need to kiss her'_ on repeat as he stood aware that his face was set on smile and pretty soon she was going to think he was mad or something, he needed to say something anything fast but his mind just said one thing and his body wouldn't allow him to pull himself together. Suddenly he felt his face getting closer to hers as his mind still only registered those five words _'Holy shit this is it the first kiss'_ he said to himself as he felt the tips of their lips fuse together, there was no warning just a total surge of energy and the feeling of going totally inside someone else's skin getting comfortable in it and then suddenly he was being told to leave. He needed to be in that place that safe place and no he wasn't leaving not just now not ever, he told the force that he was fighting against as his hands went up and pulled her closer to him guarding her, like he was in battle with everything external to them and he was confident he was going to win this war.

Mercy felt herself being physically lifted up off the ground and thrown into the body of this other person, it scared her and she struggled to break away and be safe, she seemed to be struggling for a while before her instincts told her to scream for help. Just as she'd built up enough resources to put in a half decent scream she felt arms grab her from the mouth of the beast and she felt safe, warm and horny, she fell into the feeling willing it to stay that way forever

Eventually, they needed air, the room became a shell as they stared into each others eyes again, having heard the resounding sound of drums playing the rhythm a heart should beat, at normal rate, they fought to get in sync with it. "Interesting" Sam said smiling with satisfaction

"Very" Mercy said removing her hands from his chest, when she realised where they were "Sam this can't happen, my life is planned, we come from I don't know where we come from but seriously I don't date white boys"

"That's fine, I don't date black girls, which makes this all the more real for me" he grinned

"I got to get out of here" she said walking away from him as he stood watching her for a second before he followed her back up to the main room

"Dot" his Mom said when he entered the room smiling "Jane's just been on the phone is your mobile switched off?"

"Yeah I just want to focus on Granddad for a while" he replied looking across at Mercy when he finished talking

"Who's Jane" she asked giggling

"Dot's girlfriend" Michelle offered "They've been together since school" she smiled

"Mom" Sam said feeling all kinds of messed up for not saying anything to Mercy before now, as the conversation filled out with more talk of Jane and where his parents thought their relationship was going. Sam sat red faced for most of the conversation not knowing how to tell his parents to shut up about Jane because, he'd just made a move on Mercy and he really needed to see where that could go.

"I'm bushed" Mercy finally said when she could take no more, she got up kissed her parents and bid everyone goodnight

"Goodnight" Sam looked at her saying as she passed him but it fell on deaf ears

That night Mercy spent the night getting that lying, cheating, smug kissing gigolo out of her mind, she sat listening to records on the old gramophone. Sam was up in the main room verbally slapping the shit out of his Mom and trying to get himself a story together to serve Mercy in the morning. A few times he'd thought of leaving the couch to go see her but decided against it as he felt sure they'd be raised voices, and once the parents got wind, it would all be over.

"My Granddad got buried today" he said to himself punching his pillow, before burying his head in it to wait for sleep

 **Thursday 8** **th** **December 2016**

Sam had been in and out of sleep all night and was exhausted when he saw daylight come through the thin curtains of the main room, jumping up when he realised it was almost 10 and he hadn't been woken by noise coming from a clattering kitchen or Mercy walking through making as much noise as she could to alert him to the early morning problem he was going to have. "Why didn't anyone wake me up?" he asked as he entered the kitchen to find just his parents sitting in it "Where is everyone?" he asked looking around

"Tiny and Patrice went to go get her some stuff for her new job and Neville's down cleaning up the mess Tiny made in the den last night" she said making sure to look at Sam "You know anything about her being mad enough to smash things up?" she asked him

"No, maybe it was delayed shock from the funeral and stuff" he offered

"That's what her Dad said" Michelle smiled at him

"Where did you say she'd gone?" he asked his Mom again

"To the Mall, they won't be long"

"We're going home later today Dot, when you got to be back to barracks"

"In the morning about 11" he said "My flight back is at 3 today and I need to say bye to Mercy and stuff she's been a good friend"

"I'm going to meet them for lunch in a minute" Neville came in saying "You can come see them on your way through"

Meanwhile; Mercy was sitting at the fountain in the Mall waiting for her Mom to finish at the nail shop, still banging about and itching to hit something "How dare he" she said out loud as she reflected on her situation

"How dare he what?" he Mom's voice came back at her saying as her head sprung up, she didn't know why but she broke down and inevitably everything came out at her Mothers door about her feelings, what had happened and then the revelations last night after the feelings they'd just shared.

"I fear you might have romanticised this based on Mom's letters, and the namesake thing doesn't help" Patrice told her "It just seems like it's supposed to be because you live in Mom's shadow so to speak, it's not real" she assured Tiny

"I guess" Mercy agreed as they got up and got on with shopping

Sam said bye to his parents and jumped in Neville's car to go find Mercy, he was sure Neville didn't know what was going on otherwise his reception would have surely been more frosty "Tiny and you have become close" he said as they drove along in silence

"Yeah she's a good friend" he said as Neville raised an eyebrow, before driving the rest of the short way in silence, until the car came to a halt and the two men got out

"They're in here" Neville said pointing to the Cafe they'd parked a bit down from as he pushed the door and let Sam walk in before him "There they are" he said pointing in their direction as they stood almost at the counter of this very small cafe with maybe 8 tables in with four chairs round each, very cosy looking with menu's in wooden slats in the middle of the plastic covered tables and cushioned chairs all very dated

"Nev" Patrice called as she saw them enter "We need to talk" she announced grabbing her coat as she spoke

"Patrice" Sam said to deaf ears, as she walked past him, making him roll his eyes at the familiar drama, _he decided at that minute he was not up for the drama, he'd sit quietly and let her have her say, then get up and leave who were these damn people to him anyway, why was he even contemplating taking any shit from this woman she wasn't even significant in his damn life. He begged nobody for nothing, why did he now feel the need to beg this woman he'd known for three days, for any type of forgiveness_ "Hi" he found himself saying as he stood towering over Mercy sitting at the table

"Hi, is that it?" she asked finally looking up at him with an anger in her eyes that burned through his skin making him stand to attention like a spoilt child being chastised "I can not believe you took me that far knowing you had a girlfriend waiting in the wings, how dare you treat me like some trick you just met in some bar" she said her voice raising with every word as Sam looked around at the attention she was attracting "Never mind everyone else" she said watching him looking around "What about answering me?" she asked as he stood there wondering how to handle this unfamiliar situation

"Is this venting" he asked trying to figure out what was happening

"Venting?" she almost screeched "You think I'm venting?"she laughed a laugh Sam knew wasn't really a laugh as concern set in for him "So now I can't have feeling about this situation I just vent, you act like you don't even care about the way you treated me, is this normal for you? I feel sorry for June or whatever her name is if it is"

"Of course I care I don't just do things like what we did with anyone, and seriously Mercy I felt something, this has taken me by surprise" he said as his phone rang

"Don't you think June will be out of her mind with worry not hearing from you for 4 days?" she smiled a smile he somehow knew wasn't really a smile "Answer it"

"I'm not answering the damn phone" he said throwing the phone on the table as he finally sat down with her _'Why do I feel like shit, why do I need her to like me?'_

"What now you want to show me some respect?" she laughed "You know what I need to get out of here before this conversation goes somewhere it has no business going" she said getting up to leave the cafe. Suddenly she felt that electric shock again and she knew they were skin to skin somewhere but her whole body was tingling she couldn't figure out what he was touching, she turned to look at him, to fight the urge to throw herself at him and made the mistake of looking straight into his eyes

"Shut up and kiss me" he said, his breath touching her skin with every word, leaving her mind reeling and making her body want and all she could do was obey his command moving in as he pulled her to him and she fell into his trance.

For a short while she was lost in his touch before a vivid picture of some blond, pretty looking, slender white girl waiting for him slipped into her mind jolting her out of his grip "Are you trying to shut me up?" she looked up at him saying as she pulled herself out of his space

"No I'm not trying to shut you up, I just need to calm your shit down" he said almost angry at her pulling away from him "I should have said something but seriously it seemed insignificant at the time" he said much softer, looking into her eyes "I'm sorry" he said with sincerity in his tone as she looked up at him unsure what to say next

"Lucky for you I didn't get sucked into all that" she smiled at him unable to stay mad at him, especially not being able to properly feel her face after that mind blowing kiss "But it will take a lot more that one sorry" she said stepping off with her last word

"Mercy" he said stopping her walk "I don't know what else to say without sounding insincere" he said rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke "I'm leaving in like 20 minutes and I need for us to be at least talking by then"

"We're talking Sam" she smiled "Just don't kiss me again we don't need that kind of complication"

"Okay, I'll take that for now but I promise the next time I come to you it will be real" he smiled cheekily at her saying "Hot drink and a bun to remember us by?" he asked smiling

"Hot drink and a bun" she said smiling as she sat down and they had a friend conversation for the last 20 minutes Sam was in Carolina "Bye" she finally said hugging him as if her life depended on it "Now I guess I'll be scanning the Navy papers looking for information about my friend, stay safe"

"And I'll be buying concert tickets to hear that voice of yours you keep so guarded" he giggled "Don't be a stranger" he said taking the opportunity to hold her smell close to him and closing his eyes to seal in the memory


	4. Chapter 4

**2 Years Later**

Sam and Mercy had kept the channels of communication open, using social media and both were happy with their lot. Sam had done 5 of his 7 year contract with the Navy and was seriously thinking about his next step. Jane had been talking all things wedding for the past year or so and he'd been avoiding the subject, but now his Mom was on the subject it seemed to be something that was inevitable. He'd spoken to Mercy about it several times and of course she'd agree that he needed to commit and stop stringing the woman along, he was on the brink of giving in to it all when the opportunity arose for him to be stationed in Ohio for 12 months and he quickly got on the phone to Mercy before informing anyone else.

"Mercy they offered me Ohio somewhere near Lima again" he said all excited when she picked up the phone

"That's great, its close, we can finally get that coffee we talked about" she said obviously smiling "What did Jane say about it?" she asked

"I haven't told anyone else yet, I just got the offer"

"And you thought I should be the first to know?" she asked

"Well you were the closest" he laughed "How are things with Michael?"

"Good, you'll finally get to meet him" she said sounding happy

"Yeah" Sam replied

"Let me know when and I'll arrange something"

"I'm letting you know I'm going to take it, all this bugging for marriage thing is getting to me"

"You're going to do it" she said excitedly

"I didn't say that" he laughed "You women just hear what you want sometimes"

"If you're here for a year we can have a party together for our birthday" she giggled "I'm back at my classroom we'll speak soon"

"Bye Tiny"

"Bye Dot"

Sam arrived in Lima 3 weeks later but didn't get to see Mercy until day 5 after bedding in and duties, he walked off the barracks to a waving Mercy his heart burst at the sight of her, taking his breath away. It had only been 2 years but she'd changed, she was grown obviously becoming a woman had made her more appealing she was even more pretty, more bubbly, sexy, hell of sexy and damn was she sexy, suddenly he hated this Michael who he'd sat listening to her rant on about over the phone for 8 months. "Hi" he said rolling his eyes as he heard himself "I mean great to see you again Tiny"he said holding his arms out for her to fall into

"Dot" she said, with no hesitation about falling into his arms "It's great to see you too" she said as she snuggled into his chest willing herself to get up off him and act like a woman in a loving relationship with another man. It seemed like an age they stood connected to each other talking for only them to hear as they plucked up the strength to let go "After three" Mercy finally said as Sam counted and they parted

"Still just as hard" he said not wanting the feeling to go by without acknowledging something was still there "Jane's coming down this afternoon" he said looking into Mercy's eyes and seeing the pain at the mention of her name "So I guess it's test time for both of us" he smirked cheekily knowing she'd just had the same thought as him

"Don't play with me Dot" she said giving him a cheeky smile back

"I'm no..."

"Don't even think it, let alone say it, I know you" she laughed

"Anyway when am I going to meet this guy that's supposed to be my competition?" he asked as they walked towards the car

"Pull that neck back in Mr, there is no competition, we were never a thing"

"I can see traits of Ms Mercy in you" he laughed

"Whatever; what time is Jane coming?" she asked

"She'll call when she gets here" he said as they stood at the car talking "And Mercy I am competition" he laughed

"Get in the damn car" she smiled surprised to see him open the door for her to get in "Thank you" she said as he shut the door after her, they went off sight seeing until Sam's phone rang

"Where are you?" Jane asked

"Where are we?" he asked Mercy

"Lima Bean"

"Lima Bean just grab a cab, see you in a bit" he said clipping the phone off

"Sam" she said giving him a look "We could have gone and got her"

"She'll be here soon enough and you're gonna wish..." he smiled rolling his eyes, making her laugh

Twenty minutes later the café door opened revealing Jane a natural blond who had for some unknown reason decided to put extensions in her hair which looked irritatingly unmanageable, slender and as her name suggested very plain with ripped jeans and a t-shirt that might have been Sam's at one point. And with all that pink on she donned green nail varnish, Mercy had to double look to confirm what she was seeing

"Hi Love" she said as she went into some sort of peck hug with Sam who pulled away before Mercy could think to be embarrassed

"Jane this is Mercy" he said smiling at Mercy as he spoke "Mercy this is Jane" he said sitting down

Jane stood next to Sam lips puckered and hands clutching her bag, Mercy assumed she was telling her not to come near her and just said a simple hello, happy for the no contact thing. Jane's blue eyes played the game, Mercy could read eyes and Jane's were definitely seeing competition, Mercy wanted so much to tell her that wasn't the case but the opportunity passed and so for the next few hours she sat,a part of Sam's conversations,feeling uncomfortable because it was obvious Jane needed to be alone with him and he obviously didn't want that situation to happen.

 **The Meal**

Three hours later they were sitting in the local restaurant waiting for Michael to arrive "So Jane I hear you're into Nursing, you guys do a great job" Mercy said smiling at her as she once overed her again, her blond hair looked almost unkempt for the way she kept pulling it back off her face, Mercy wanted to shout at her 'Tie it back bitch' but resisted, smiling every time she felt the urge. Sam sat with a smile on his face, tickled that Mercy was as irritated with that hair flicking shit as he was, why she needed extensions that she couldn't manage was beyond him

"Yes it is rewarding but the hours are long and the work can sometimes feel never ending" she smiled flicking her hair back again at the end of her response "I hear you might be going into the music industry, new song coming?"

"Yeah, I'm just doing finishing touches I'm sort of hoping to have it wrapped for my birthday

"You mean our birthday" Sam butted in

"Yeah our birthday" Mercy smiled at him for a second saying before looking back at Jane

"Good evening everyone" they heard, making everyone look behind where Mercy sat, Sam looked up to see this muscle rippling, almost shining with good looks black man with a smooth brother look, just what he'd expect Mercy to be dating, if he could have done anything just then he'd have climbed on the ceiling, Grabbed a hammer and messed this guy's shinning head up beyond recognition "Sam" he said as Sam forced a smile aware that Mercy could read his thoughts and stood up to greet Michael

"Michael" he said back giving his hand for shaking "And this is..."

"Jane" Michael said walking round to give her a light kiss on the cheek "Seriously, I've heard so much about you guys I feel like we're old friends" he said sitting down in the chair next to Mercy "Hi Sweetheart" he said taking the time to look into her eyes before going in for his kiss "I missed you today" he said as they got lost in their own little world before Sam spoke

"So Michael how's the world of Law?" he asked shifting the vibe

"Law is good, just come from having the conversation with my soon to be in-laws" he laughed "Like the switch" he said through his laugh

 _'I'd like to switch you the fuck off'_ Sam smiled back at him thinking as Mercy gave him the behave look

"Wedding plans" Jane pipped in perking up a bit "My Fav subject these past 18 months" she said looking at Sam expectantly

"We've never spoke about it actually, and I'd like to know what my parents have to do with this relationship after what, 8 months?" Mercy turned asking Michael

"Just feeling out some ground to get the new subject on the agenda" he laughed "Don't stress I know about the 5 year plan" he said grabbing her hand as she smiled back at him

"We need to get together Michael these two are definitely sitting back and letting life pass them by , see if we can start a united front and get them moving in the right direction" Jane said laughing

"Pattie and Nev are here?" Sam asked excitedly

"No Mom would have called me and he's answered the phone at home" she said

"You live together?" Jane asked still excited "Definitely need pointers" she said to Michael

"No we don't live together, but I asked him to drop some stuff off for me, I had in his car" Mery confirmed as she saw Sam's chest actually relax and smiled at his jealous, holding her hand out for her key back from Michael while she wondered if she was doing that to reassure Sam or put breaks on Michael, as he dropped the key in her hand, rolling his eyes "Sorry Guys bathroom break" she said jumping up as Jane called after her

"Wait for me" she said as she grabbed her bag

 _'What the fuck is he looking at'_ Sam thought as he looked at Michael's eye path and found he was watching Mercy walk _'Stop looking at my girl like that'_ he screamed in his head taking a sip of the water Jane had poured him without asking

 **The Bathroom**

"I know he likes you" Jane said

"Who Sam?" Mercy asked not shocked just chilled "Yeah I guess I might have contemplated it had he not been with you, I don't roll like that"

"Thanks"

"What for?" Mercy said pushing the bathroom door open for Jane to walk in

"Being so honest" Jane confirmed "But" she said washing her hands and starting to dry them before carrying on as Mercy applied more lipstick "I need you to make that like crystal clear to him, that it will never happen, so that he can move on"

"He's got it crystal clear already girl, I am not that girl"

"But he thinks you are and while he has that in his head, we won't shift it" she said almost desperate "His Dad says he's like his Granddad on that"

"Like his Granddad?" Mercy asked intrigued by the comment

"Apparently, he was in love with one woman all his life, had his family and every thing, but still ended up with your Grandma and it left him wondering, if it was love or something else, more sinister I guess"

"Like?" Mercy asked not liking where this conversation was going

"I don't know, all I know is he said when he was up at your place he felt compelled to do, and he thought it might be some X that woman had put on the Evens men" she laughed

"Are you serious?" Mercy held onto the sink asking as her fists wanted to grow wings and fly at Jane's smug ashen white face and leave a couple of X's and O's on it, and show her that her sticks and stones were going to get broken for the hurtful things she was insinuating about her family

"No I mean because he fell in platonic love with you guys too" she backtracked seeing Mercy's face "I'm sorry if that sounded wrong it wasn't meant to" she said holding her hand out to touch Mercy's arm as she spoke

 _'Your sorry alright bitch, I know exactly what you meant and how you meant it. I don't care how nice you pretend to be, this is all in your get Sam plan, and you know what?, with no damn help from me'_ she told herself. It was written all over her face, she's got a new game just about to start and was she bothered about who was getting hurt, _'No remorse for casualties, this nurse bitch could treat herself '_ she told Jane in her head _'How dare you stand there telling me you think all my relatives practice evil, and then smile at me as if I'm damn stupid'_ "I'm starved lets go eat" Mercy said her usual jolly self as they picked their bags up and made their way back to the table

 **Meanwhile the conversation at the table**

"So Sam" Michael said taking a sip of his water he'd just taken his time to pour "Mercy and you had a spark or something a while back I hear"

"Yet to establish what that was my friend, there was a lot going on for us back then but, we're good friends now"

"Don't think on it any more, let me assure you, my friend" he said with a tone Sam didn't like "I'm all up in that" he said pointing at the door Mercy had just walked through, as the look on Sam's face went from listening to about to blow in seconds

"Listen to me..." he got out before he heard Jane's voice coming towards then "This conversation isn't finished" he said turning to smile at the woman walking back towards them

 **The Meal**

Mercy saw the tension straight away but said nothing because she was so concentrating on her own shit that just happened, she sat down looking at Michael who had a smile on his face and knew Sam was bursting to say something as she quick peeked at him before Jane sat down.

 _'What the hell has Jane said to her now'_ he thought as he saw the thunder in Mercy's eyes, the thought of her being angry at him made his thoughts of anything going down with Michael disappear, "You alright?" he asked Mercy as she nodded a yes

"You alright?" Michael asked Jane, not really interested in the response just getting one back up on Sam for asking Mercy

"Yeah I'm fine" she replied as if nothing had just been said "What's everyone having?" she asked picking up the menu as she spoke "Sam you'll have a stake yeah?" she asked

"No he'd prefer the Salmon, after what 7 years, I'd expect you to know that" Mercy stated smiling at Jane sarcastically as Sam looked on

 _'Whatever this is Jane started it, it's her fight I'm not getting involved'_ he thought "Yeah I'd more prefer Salmon" he looked at Mercy saying as they smiled at each other, _'Not getting involved right'_ he thought as he saw that Mercy was glad that he had jumped on the bait to show this bitch a thing or two, he was hell bent on showing Michael he wasn't sitting as comfortable as he thought he was

"If I have the lamb we can share" she followed up with, not looking at a shocked Jane or pissed Michael as she looked for agreement in Sam's face _'You and your games'_ he thought as he smiled a smile that reached his eyes

"Yeah fine" he said looking back at Jane "I'll have the Salmon" he told her in answer to her question

"I'll have the lamb" Mercy told Michael even though he hadn't asked

Conversation was general after that Michael and Jane noting when Sam and Mercy shared their food, acting so naturally about it, they blushed "I'm stuffed" Sam said pushing away the knickerbocker glory Jane insisted they share "And I don't have a sweet tooth" he said quickly taking a segment of Apple from Mercy's plate as she hit after his hand with her fork, both of them laughing because she'd missed

"What are you two doing for the rest of the evening ?" Michael asked looking at Jane

"I'm back at barracks in like" Sam said looking at his phone "40 minutes, god time flies" he said jumping up "Mercy will you take me back?" he asked "What hotel are you at again?" he asked Jane

"Shell Corner" she replied

"And get Jane back to the Shell Corner please?" he added

"Yeah we can all go" she said getting up as Michael went to pay the bill and Jane pulled herself up pissed that she wasn't actually getting any alone time with Sam for all the travelling she'd done to get there for his one day of freedom in 7 weeks. They piled into the car and made their way back to Sam's barracks

"Back in a bit" Jane said jumping out of the car with Sam and walking away from it as they talked, Mercy watched as Jane played at getting close to him a few times, he'd step back and then laugh, she'd wave her hands in the air like she wasn't happy about it and take another step closer, then there was a long while they stood while she spoke and he stood listening, rubbing the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable , before she jumped at him and he took her off him before he started talking. Her head bowed and he looked towards the car as Mercy's heart jumped, they were talking about her, what were they saying about her, she narrowed her eyes as if she could actually see their lips moving or she had lip reading skills

"When are we going to look at putting that next level stuff on the agenda Mercy?" Michael asked breaking her concentration

"it's not happening Michael, you're not the one" she turned to him saying, angry for missing the conversation she couldn't hear anyway

"Tiny" she heard as she was about to get to the next level with this damn man as she spun round to find Sam standing there

"Dot what's up?" she asked getting out the car to an upset Sam

"I miss Granddad, You, Carolina all of it I need to go see him"

"Okay we can go do that when your back next" she said as he fell into her arms and just hugged her as she looked around for Jane "Where's Jane?" she asked aware that she should be the one holding him right now

"I can't do this with her any more, she was just talking about you guys being evil, working spells on my family and I saw the devil in her, I can't be around that shit"

"Okay but where is she?" Mercy asked again looking around as she held Sam, both unable to let go

"I got to go I'll be late" he said "On three" he told her whispering the countdown in her ear before puling himself off her "I..." he said looking up to see Michael before simply turning and walking back towards the barracks backwards looking at Mercy as Jane appeared from nowhere and ran to him, he held her for a short while before moving her to arms length as they spoke before he hugged her and she kissed him, which last maybe a second longer than the hello kiss, before letting her go and she came back to the car looking happy. Mercy didn't bother to ask what had happened she just left it right there and got back in the car to resume her conversation with Michael to find, she'd lost interest and just sat looking ahead in the drivers seat until Jane got in

"Drama" Jane said flopping into the car "He always gets dramatic when he's pissed at having to go back" she laughed "I love how needy he is" she said through her laugh

 _'Needy'_ Mercy thought _'He hates needy why the hell would he be needy?'_ "when are you back home Jane?" she asked

"Tomorrow morning so I guess I won't see you guys again for a while, Sam didn't know when he'd get time again hopefully it will be more than a day and we can get some together time" she said making sure Mercy understood the next time she was not invited as Michael looked over his shoulder at Jane with a smile on his face telling her he had the same agenda. Jane got back to her hotel, Mercy dropped Michael off and went home.

She rolled her eyes for the flowers Michael had put in her hall as she walked in and stood for a while wondering why this man felt the need to wonder around her house finding vases and the like, and where else had he been without her permission. She emptied her pockets into the dish by the door before taking her coat off and hanging it up noticing some serviette paper in the mix "What the hell it that?" she asked as she picked it up, trying to remember when she would have taken that and sub-consciously put it in her pocket as she opened it out to find a telephone number on it saying 'any time'. She stood searching the events of the day but could remember nobody she'd encountered that had left any sort of impression on her eventually smiling as she realised it must be Sam "Dot" she smiled grabbing for her phone

"Hello" she said when someone finally answered "Could I speak to Sam please" she asked the voice "Sorry Sam Evans" she confirmed and waited for a while before she heard some movement and then his voice on the phone

"You found my number then?" he laughed down the phone

"When did you get that in my pocket?"

"Just be grateful it's not naff flowers in your own vase" he laughed

"You're so romantic" she said sarcastically "What am I phoning for Dot?" she asked

"Tiny I just need you to do me the smallest favour" he said taking a breath "just tell me there's even the slightest chance, so I can do what my heart needs me to do, just the slightest chance" he begged

"I can't do that Dot, I just can't" she said aware this was fast turning into a serious conversation with what he was asking

"Can we spend the afternoon together tomorrow, just us?" he asked

"Come on Dot we've been here before, hold up, Jane just told me she didn't know when she was going to see you again, now you're telling me you got time tomorrow, not a good relationship move my friend"

"Come on Tiny I think we've established already, we are not friends"

"There you go playing your games again" she laughed

"Me games?" he asked "I've put me out there so many times, I catch my own ass with the kick backs" he laughed "So if you need to hear it after nearly three years of pursuit I love you Mercy Jones please love me back?" he asked

"Oh Dot I so love you but our..."

"There should never be a but in love Tiny"

"Okay Dot or Sam should I say I love you too and I always will, our lives have taken different paths and should we at any time meet and our paths cross in the correct order maybe we can revisit this connection we find ourselves having" she said "No but in there" she giggled

"I'll get you a pass to come on barracks tomorrow we can have some uninterrupted time to talk about this and other things, yeah?"

"Okay" she said "Goodnight dot I need my beauty sleep" she said he could tell she had a smile on her face

"You need to stop sleeping Tiny, I'll be fighting all the hours God sends if you get even more pretty" he laughed "But my boss is on the warpath so I got to go too, Goodnight" "1 o'clock" he shouted as he remembered they hadn't set a time, Mercy didn't say anything else she just set the phone down

The next day Mercy couldn't get dressed fast enough to go see someone else's man "What is happening with you girl" she asked herself as she almost skipped into the car to make her way to Sam. The closer she got the more she could hear her Mothers words in her ear _'The feelings they're not real'_ she reminded herself as she pulled up in the parking bay with visitors on, looking around expecting Jane to jump out at her and boy was she going to defend it. She went through the procedures to get in and found the biggest smile waiting for her when she finally came face to face with Sam

"Hi" he said giggling

"Hi" she smiled "What's with the giggle?"

"Every time I say that I hear 'Is that it'?" he smiled wider

"And you think that situation was funny because" she asked as he looked and saw she was serious just like that

"Just kiss me I don't have time for this argumentative stuff today" he said pulling her to him but she evaded his kiss as hard as that was and pushed him away from her chest "What?" he asked when he attempted to kiss her again and she moved

"Just two very small things" she said straightening her clothes as she spoke "Called Jane and Michael" she reminded him

"Tiny come on, they can find each other for all I care"

"Well I care about how I make people feel, most the time" she added smiling

"I'm glad you added that last bit because dinner last night was blowing stuff up all over the place, I don't like him by the way"

"Whoever he is" she emphasised, putting her hands on her hips "Your not going to like him Dot"

"And I know you didn't like Jane either"

"No she was rude, seriously rude"

"Behave you were never going to like her either, I could tell from your face before I even introduced her to you" he laughed

"Okay, she's not good enough for you, she's way too plastic and she really doesn't have your best interests at heart. You're some sort of trophy to her, she was willing to sit back and be second best, knowing you loved me and she's so damn needy"

"Wow you really haven't thought about her have you?" he laughed

"Seriously no, it didn't take five seconds to see all that, why has it been 7 years and you still ain't seen it?"

"Seriously" he said as he stopped laughing and Mercy thought she was in trouble about now, having gone too far "I've seen all of that and more, we've been together all that time but don't forget I've been in the Navy for 5 of those years and we were in different colleges before that and she just hangs on, and well, I've had nothing better come up till now and, I really didn't want to make the effort to look, Mom and Dad have taken to her and rather than bring someone new in I just let them have their fun" he said looking sorry for himself

"Did you ever love her?"

"Not that I remember"

"Well that's sadder than I ever thought" she said looking sorry

"Do you love Michael?"

"No I don't think I do, well no I don't, but 8 months is different to nearly 8 years"

"We've probably had about the same amount of time together" he laughed nervously "Come on let's cheer this party up" he said pulling her away with him "I'll show you around" he said as they went off on a tour around the parts of the barracks they could go around and stopped for snacks which they ate on the lawn

"Evans do one of your songs" one of the guys sitting with his girl shouted over to him

"Can you not see I'm with my girl here Dude" he shouted back pointing at Mercy

"Serenade" another guy shouted over

"Please Dot" Mercy mouthed and won the argument for the guys

"Just one song" he got up saying, as one of the guys got on his phone out

"What you singing Evans? He asked

" I'm gonna sing **'Thunder in the Rain' by Kane Brown** for you" he said looking at Mercy as the guy on the phone passed the information on and the next thing the music was coming through the tannoy as Sam stood serenading her in front of all these people

"Her name is Mercy, and guys I'm gonna risk a slap and put her on the spot now, she sings, although I've not heard her yet, so I'm going to challenge her to get up here and do her thing" he said looking at a shocked Mercy as she tried to think of something to say to get out of it

"I'm" she started looking down at her hands as she thought _'You what?, you're never going to see these people again so pretend you're doing a gig and just do it call his bluff'_ she smiled to herself because the joke was on him she was going to do it and if nothing else show him up when she flopped "I'll sing something" she said opening her phone to find a song "I think I'll sing **'Superwoman' by Rebecca Ferguson** please Sam" she told him as he shouted it to the guy with the phone hooked up, when she heard the tune she started singing, with her eyes closed opening them when she heard no boos and saw Sam smiling up at her "Thank you" she said to her clapping audience as Sam grabbed her hand and they went off to do their own thing

"That was not Jazz" he whispered in her ear "But you're voice is such a turn on" he said as they moved to somewhere more private

"Jane, Michael" she said "Consider that the off switch" she said to a puzzled Sam before he laughed, and so the day went on until suddenly it was 8 pm and time for her to leave

"Mercy" he said as he stood seeing her off "There were so many visitors here today for a reason" he said grabbing hold of her hands, staying silent for a while to get the familiar shock out the way "I'm moving out tomorrow" he said as his eyes found hers

"Oh" she said forcing a smile "I thought you were here for a year?" she asked

"I am, I mean I'm near the front line for a while sort of moving out" he said holding her hands tighter feeling the fear that went through her body

"Shit" she said as tears sprung to her eyes immediately "Why didn't you say?" she asked him

"I did, I am"

"God this is our Grandparents all over again without the baby drama" she said trying to get her hands free but Sam wouldn't allow it

"Don't fight me Mercy" he begged even his eyes were asking her this "I told you because, I know you're not going to believe me on this, but I care, if I had a choice on this you'd be it, my choice" he said pulling her to him . The tears streaming down her face so fast she could barely make out his face, her heart beating so randomly she was dizzy and breathless, she stood taking in his breath on her face the only feeling she could distinguish right now was his closeness _'Say it damn it'_ he thought staring in her face, wanting to, but unwilling to make that final move until they had told their truth

"I love you back Sam"

His heart stopped he counted several seconds before he heard it again and he felt he could move his body without leaving his brain behind, because everything he was needed to feel this, this right here, right now as he felt the fusing of the tips of their lips and they let their body do the rest as they found that safe place within each other and stayed there, having finally reached their place

"Evans" he heard, unsure how long someone had been calling him but everyone was looking at him when her turned to respond and smiled instead

"Sir" he said as Mercy pulled his face back to look at her and took his lips back to their place "I have to go"he said "Countdown" he whispered as this time she counted and then he let her go

"Be safe, write me" she shouted after him

"I love you Mercy" he said and he was gone

Mercy stood at the barracks feeling all sorts of wrong, how was she doing this to Michael, he'd done nothing to deserve this and Jane; yes she was rude but she was defending her love. And above all that how was she going to face Michelle and Daniel for their birthday bash thing, they were going to plan "Shit all kinds of wrong" but she really didn't need to be messing Sam's head up with any forget it messages, so for now she'd have to wear that double life she'd just made for herself. She jumped in her car and went home, Michael flashing on her mind in between Sam being heavy on her heart.

 **Three Months Later**

 **Mercy**

Christmas had happened, new year had passed, valentine's day was tomorrow and Sam had been to the front line, sending his messages back to Mercy, she'd cried for fear of him not coming back on so many occasions and seeing her grandparents life flash before her, she left herself weak and then after 14 weeks he was back in Ohio and they were talking about Jane and Michael again. "Sam" Mercy said stopping his rant on day two "I'm still with Michael, I didn't want to say while you were away but now your back" she said over the phone, waiting for his response

"That's fine I haven't said anything to Jane yet either" he came back with

"Hold up" she said stopping his flow again "I don't intend on saying anything to him" she added

"What do you mean?" he asked and the phone went silent

"I really need to see you to have this conversation"

"You mean you really need to explain to me what the hell we've been doing these past 14 weeks?"

"I've been, well I've been, keeping you alive, I guess"

"Keeping me ali..." she heard and the phone went dead

And she'd heard nothing else from him for the past 6 days, first she thought he just needed to cool down, then after day one she sort of thought he was going to turn up at her home fuming or worse still her place of work and by day four, she cried for losing herself a dear friend and maybe the love of her life. By day six she was at how stupid she'd been of course she loved him and what the hell was she doing accepting second best like her Grandma, God rest her soul, who had to die to be with the man she loved when the man she loved was waiting for her to freely give herself to him.

Granted she'd been busy with getting her new single out and teaching, marking, birthday party planning and finding time to give to Michael with all her emotions running wild, but there was a massive hole that Sam fitted into and she missed him just being on the other end of the phone, Skype or just a simple sapp

Day 6, three days before their joint birthday party and Mercy visited Michael the night before her record hit the stands, and broke things off with him, telling him she was in love with Sam although things in that department were way past the sell by date, but she needed to try, walked away feeling freer than she'd felt in a long while.

"You'll be back" Michael told her as she made to leave his flat

"I won't Michael" she turned back saying

"Touch that door and coming back won't be an option" he threated as Mercy looked at him for a long while before opening the door and walking out. She got home that night and decided to write a letter.

 **Sam**

Sam was so mad about Mercy's revelation, he had to get off the phone, he spent the rest of the day cursing that Mercy thought so little of him, that she would even contemplate that he was joking about this. By day two he'd come to a conclusion that things had to change for him, he was mad at her for saying she wouldn't finish with Michael, but he was still sending letters to Jane every week and promising her he'd at least talk about things when he got time. _'What makes me any less fake?'_ he asked himself, smiling at himself for becoming the one thing his Granddad had always asked him not to be, fake. He got his phone out and did the one thing that he felt was right just then, called Jane "Hi, where are you, we need to talk" be blurted out before she got the chance to talk

"I'm in Texas but I can get to you for later tonight" she told him, excited that she'd finally talked him round and a wedding was on the cards, or a booty call

"I'll expect you tomorrow morning at Barracks" he said

 _'No Booty call then'_ she thought realising there was a massive pause in the conversation "Bye Love" she finally said unable to guess what this conversation was going to be about

"Bye" he said putting the phone down slowly

Day three and he was at the gate waiting for Jane to show, as soon as she did he signed out and went to meet her. They talked about everything, where they'd been, their ambitions, their dreams everything "You have to agree Jane we want different things" he said holding her hand

"Different thing, I thought we were making plans" she shouted at him before looking around the small café shocked at herself

"I'm planning" Sam assured her

"Do they include me?"

"No" he said not taking his eyes off her "Jane..."

"You do this every time Sam, we're off I cry, we're on, you cry and then we're on lets just skip all the tired crap and make plans"

"Sorry Jane I really mean it this time" he said looking guilty but relieved

"We'll see what your parents have to say about this shall we?" she asked taking her phone out to call them

"I don't even think you're aware of the fact that you're dating me not my parents, and the next time you rock up there you might be embarrassed"

"It's that Mercy isn't it?"

"Yeah its been Mercy since we met" he admitted "Sorry Jane"

He sat about for a while listening to Jane's begging and threats until he'd had enough of her constant hair flicking and neediness and got her a taxi back to her hotel, went back to his barracks and sat for the rest of the day calling his parents, on day four, to alert them of the new situation by Day 6 he decided he's given Jane enough respect and it was time to move on, he had a birthday party to plan and attend and a girl to woo, he sat down to write a letter


	5. Chapter 5

**Day 7**

 **Sam**

Day 7 and Sam woke up feeling lighter he even had a smile on his face as he thought about the prospect of being able to come to Mercy on another level this time, he was convinced she hadn't taken him seriously because he'd always had Jane in the background, well now she'd gone and he was free to pursue who he wanted, and he wanted to pursue Mercy.

Just two days before their party on Saturday night and they'd opted for, of all things, a boat party, in line with Sam's life. It was Mercy's idea they do that, so he'd pulled some strings and got it sorted for a sub just for 6 hours. They'd agreed just 6 friends each for a small affair along with parents, and partners making a grand total of 20 people, mostly couples and now he was a single, a concept he hadn't dealt with since school, he was oddly optimistic about his life

He was in the mess with the rest of the guys, just chatting and doing much of nothing when he heard 'Mercy Jones' on the radio and stopped the entire hall shouting "This is Mercy, my girl" as everyone looked at him with doubt "The girl that sang here with me a few months back" he reminded them as they stated nodding their acknowledgement

"You never said she was a real singer Dude" one of the guys said

"She's a real singer" Sam said making everyone laugh as he sat to listen to her song, the words piercing into him as she asked him about Jane, told him she wanted things to go to that next level, smiling at the end when she almost told him she was ready to go there with him "Yeah I'm ready" he told her as the song finished "I need to speak to my Dad" he jumped up saying as he left the mess hall, phone in hand

"Dad" Sam said as soon as he answered "I have a dilemma" he laughed telling him

"A dilemma?" he asked

"It's a problem of the heart" he told him

"Yeah Jane did say you were having one of your lets end it moments" his Dad laughed

"Believe me when I say this Dad" he said looking at the phone before carrying on "Jane and I have finished"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously Dad, so listen" he said taking a breath before he went into the whole eye contact, touching, electricity, friendship, emotional tie, caring, feeling and melted down into the love talk his Dad had never heard from him before "So I finished with Jane to show her I was serious about this thing I feel for her, and I intend on doing something about it at our party" he finished taking a breath

"Son I don't think the party will be the right place, do it after, and I know I used the wrong words when I was talking to Jane but, they do have a hold over us, I fell in platonic love with Pattie, she's like my sister now and how the hell did that happen in a few days" he laughed "And son please don't go into all your damn extra-terrestrial stuff about this just be sensible and careful"

"Dad I've been careful three years and I'm still feeling like this, that's careful" he paused rolling his eyes "I know you guys had life planned out with Jane at the dinner table and all that stuff, but Dad she's not the one" he sighed agitated that his Dad wasn't listening to him

"Son I'm hearing you, I really am, but do you think all this might just be because of the name sake thing and all the romance around your Granddad and stuff?" he asked "Take a day Son think it through properly and if you still feel that way on Saturday then I'll support you"

"Thanks for the ear Dad" he said putting the phone down with enough to think about _'Mercy's record'_ he thought as he walked back into the mess hall _'I didn't even phone her'_ he thought as the guys cheered for him entering the room obviously thinking he'd just been on some sort of booty call _'And she'll be thinking of me right now in the worst way, absence makes the heart grow what?"_ he laughed as he walked straight through the room to get to his cabin to write his letter

Sam started his letter so many times and ended up ripping the note to shreds, he really couldn't find the words, he was so frustrated he threw the damn lot against the wall and left it to itself. How could he be finding what he actually knew he wanted to say, so hard to put down on paper "Dear Mercy, Tiny, Hey, Hi" he laughed at that last start "I don't even know how to start

 **Mercy**

As soon as the new song hit, Mercy was getting calls from everyone and she was happy about that, but Sam hadn't called to even say boo let alone anything else, even Michael, as angry as he must have been, sent a congratulations message. She was so mad but she wasn't about to start smashing her own things up "Fuck you Sam Evans" she said "Now you made me swear" she said as tears came to her eyes starting slowly and then suddenly she was flooding, crying for herself, her Grandma, Mr E, Sam everything the whole sorry mess. She lay for a while feeling sorry for herself as her phone rang and she grabbed at it knowing it was a family member and just the distraction she needed right now

"Sweetheart" her Dad screeched over the phone as her Mom screamed in the background "We had to listen to the very last drop before we called" he laughed "Brilliant, we are so proud" he said as Mercy imagined him standing there with the biggest grin on his face making his eyes glisten

"Thank you Daddy" She replied a cry in her voice

"Tiny you did good, so proud" her Mom echoed in the background "I love you Baby" she said hoping Mercy could feel the love in what she was saying

"How do you feel?" her Dad asked before she could respond to her Mom

"I feel fine, happy, I mean it was one of my goals and I've achieved it, the kids will be glad it's all over and they don't have to put up with my moods for a while now, until I get the bug again or a new song" she giggled

"What did Dot say?" her Mom asked

"He hasn't called yet" she said a cry in her voice that she tried to cover up because right now she didn't need the interrogation

"What do you mean he hasn't called yet?" her Mom asked

"He hasn't called yet" she spat out with just the right amount of leave it alone in it

"Don't Sass me girl what do you mean" her Mom said much sterner

Mercy felt the banks breaking, she didn't need to be thinking about this right now and _'Wait didn't you guys call to talk about my much awaited single'_ "Sorry Mom" she got out before she lost all control of her emotions and the world and it's lack of love came out of her mouth again and laid itself at her parents feet

"I thought we agreed all this wasn't real?" her Mom asked

"Come on Pattie, you just listened to her right?" Neville asked "The girl just told you she was in love with Sam"

"I heard her but she's been here before and I just wondered"

"Support would be a good word to think about right now Pattie" he told her

"I've been trying to write him a letter but I get stuck, I've got so much to say to him and I guess I'm scared it's all too late" Mercy said wiping her eyes and nose trying to stop the sobbing

"Don't think about the words baby just start writing and something will come, that's what I do" Pattie finally said

"Okay, I got to go clean up bye Mom, Dad" she said as they echoed that back before she put he phone down, staring at it for the impossible task she'd set herself. She could command silence from a classroom of rowdy 12 year old children, tell a bitch where to get off if she needed to, slap one even, Sass her Mom but she couldn't put a few words down on a bit of paper for Sam "Dear Sam, Dot, Hey, Hi" she giggled at the face he made whenever he said that "Get it done girl" she told herself grabbing the pad

 **Day 8**

 **Breakfast**

The night had passed and Mercy was still sitting with paper all over the floor but she had finally decided her first line, corny as it was, it was how she'd heard these things were started for maximum effect "My Beloved Sam" she read out her masterpiece that had taken the whole night to put on paper. She went to the kitchen made herself breakfast and coffee and went back to the desk "You know what I do better with typing" she told herself scraping up all the paper she'd used and binning it all, opened her laptop and wrote her opening words again, sitting proud for having made that judgement.

Sam had been inspired by 00.20 he'd found his opening words, he'd written them down and then decided to put it all on his laptop and send an email rather than go the romantic letter route, he needed this done by the birthday party because he needed his girl in his arms all night. At 00.22 he was still sitting looking at the three words he'd written on the screen "My Beloved Mercy" he read over and over again trying to get the next line out of his head "I need food" he said getting up when he realised it was morning to get himself some breakfast

 **Lunch**

Mercy was still walking around in her night clothes, thinking about getting her hair done and trying those shoes on one more time before lift off, she was going to look hot, so if Sam Evans thought Jane Mint was anything to write home about he was going to drop to his knees when he saw what Mercy Jones could offer. She ate her small lunch, mindful that her parents were rocking up tonight ready for tomorrow and they'd probably want to go out for some big slap up meal or something, before jumping in the shower. As she stood with the water hitting her skin a light came on "I got it" she said jumping out the shower and firing up the laptop "Your love letter Mr Evans" she smiled as she typed her heart into the electronic device

 _My Beloved Sam_

 _We both know what this is, and yes I've been fighting it for so long, I guess I might have talked you into believing what I tried to get myself to believe, one thing is true I love you with everything I am, I feel it in my soul, every time we touch_

 _I guess I get my stubborn streak from my Grandma (Rest her Soul) but the one thing I learned from her is to never put off today what you have no business doing tomorrow, and I have no intention of making work for myself_

 _So here's the deal will you just make me one single promise, that I can hold you to for the rest of our lives_

 _Love me back_

 _and I will love you forever_

 _Mercy_

Mercy read the letter through ad saved it in her documents, waiting now for the courage to send it off

Sam had been on duty all morning, his hands were cold and his heart was heavy along with his eye lids, he'd had no sleep and right now he was no way nearer to getting the woman of his dreams into his arms because he was lame "You have no game Evans" he told himself kicking the air as he stood on guard. His parents were coming down tonight and he was sure they'd want to see the sub and all sorts of navy things before he could sit down and think about his letter "I need to get it done" he told himself almost angry

"Sam!" he heard someone shout as he turned to see something coming towards him and he hit the deck

"What the hell" he said laying on the floor looking up at this stray electrical cable that was swinging across his face as he lay waiting for someone to take control of it. Some 10 minutes later he was being helped up by his crew members as he shook himself off

"You're freezing" his colleague said guiding him towards the door "Go get something hot inside you and some food" he said letting him go as he got inside the door

Sam stood in the cue got his food and drink and sat thinking about what had just happened "I got it" he said throwing the sandwich down and heading for his cabin to get his laptop as he started typing

 _My beloved Mercy_

 _Do you remember that first time we touched, the electricity that passed through us as if we had passed through time, space and crazy_

 _That first kiss how our bodies fell into each other until it was impossible to tell where you ended and I begun, for me all that stuff told us we were meant to be together_

 _When I'm around you my true self comes out and that excites me, you're important to me, you have become a part of my life that I somehow always knew existed but I just didn't know where_

 _Like Granddad (Rest his soul) I've found my one true love and I ask one thing to seal this thing between us please_

 _Love me back_

 _and I will love you forever_

 _Sam_

"Thanks Granddad" he said as he saved his work and took a deep breath

"Evans, visitors" he heard at his door and he closed his laptop and went to meet his parents

 **Dinner**

"Mom, Da... Jane" he said aghast "What are you doing here?" he asked Jane as his Dad hugged him

"We'd already told her to come and it didn't seem fair to not bring her" his Mom answered

"But I told you to..." he said shutting himself down not wanting to spend any time giving this girl any sort of ammunition to gain power over him "Just remember we're not together" he told her as his Mom looked on disgusted

"Lets go get dinner" his Dad said "Or do we get the tour first?"

"I don't even want to give you the tour now" he said looking at them seriously as they stood waiting for him to make a decision _'He was super annoyed at the fact that he'd only ever took Mercy inside his work, and all his team thought she was his girl. To introduce Jane as what now was just all kinds of wrong for him'_ "We'll do it later" he decided "Come on lets eat"

"Where do you want to go?"

"Maginty's" Jane piped up

"Maginty's it is" His Dad agreed as they got in his parents car and went to the restaurant, Sam paying no mind to Jane as she tried everything in her power to make him notice her

"You staying with us at the hotel?" she asked him as they made ready to leave the restaurant

"No I'm due back on barracks" he lied looking at his Dad, telling him with his eyes he knew the reason why that had to happen

So many times this afternoon Mercy had to close her eyes and talk herself into pressing send, she was still contemplating what to do when the door knocked and she knew her parents had arrived she pressed save and closed the laptop before rushing to open the door "Mom, Dad" she said hugging them as they walked into her flat

"Tiny" her Mom almost shouted "Dinner in about an hour and you're standing there in your dressing gown"

"I just need to drag my dress on, I'm good" she laughed

"Hurry up I booked at Ragga Geoff's for 7 pm" her Dad said

"Okay" she said running off to get dressed

Everyone's night going well as her parents went back to their hotel and Mercy went home, with a promise of being there for breakfast in the morning

 **The Parents**

It was 11.30 pm and Sam was back on barracks, Mercy was asleep having not had much the night before and Jane was in her room. Michelle called Pattie

"Hey girl" Pattie said when she answered her mobile after seeing Michelle's name come up

"Hello Pattie" she said sounding concerned "Is Nev there?"

"Yeah" Pattie said questioningly

"Could we have loud speaker, It's not an intervention, we just all need to know" Michelle told her as Pattie flipped the phone on speaker

"What's up?" Neville asked slamming down on the couch next to Pattie

"Sam and Mercy" Michelle said "Dan tells me Sam's sweet on her to the point that he's kicked Jane to the curb, and that's fine if that's really what he wants, but I'm not convinced"

"Why not?" Neville asked

"Because she's been the one for over 8 years, then suddenly Mercy comes along and suddenly the grass is greener and all that, I don't believe in that stuff"

"Maybe you don't, but they do" Pattie told her

"But do they?" she asked

"They love each other" Daniel said looking at Michelle

"How do you know?" she asked

"Because he told me, he's been seeing Jane for 8 years and he's never mentioned like let a lone love and the other day we talked about Mercy and he told me without shame he loved her" Daniel informed them

"Mercy told me the day after Mr E's funeral that she loved him and I dismissed it too, but it's 3 years on and well I believe that Mom and Mr E found it eventually why could it not be possible for them?"

"Jane's here with us, not here, I mean she's in Ohio, she's coming to the party and there's nothing we can do about that right now" Michelle told them

"So what are you saying?" Pattie asked

"That I want, sorry we want what's best for our son" she told them

"Which is?" Pattie asked

"Jane" She said

"You too Dan?" Pattie asked

"It's more than my life's worth to go against my wife on this, and that's not saying I agree" he laughed

"Well we go with Mercy and Sam so I guess it's a tie" Neville said "Except" he said looking at Pattie "Listen to this" he whispered smiling at Pattie "As her Lawyer I always carried Ma Mercy's vote when she was here and she didn't tell me different" he laughed "She trusted my judgement in everything and so for her I vote Sam & Mercy" he said a definite smile in his voice "So I guess you have it, that's the deciding vote" Neville laughed "Four against two"

"Four?" Michelle asked

"Yep" Pattie laughed "If husbands don't go against their wives, Sam voted them too"

"This is going to end badly" Michelle said "And no help from us leave them to it totally" she said with everything crossed

"Totally" Pattie said with everything crossed

 **Birth-Day**

"Morning" Jane said walking into the dining room at the hotel for breakfast, looking around for Sam "No birthday boy?" she asked disappointed, after his parents, she'd been the first person he'd kissed for nearly 9 years and today because of some bitch that had changed, she wasn't in a good place

"He'll be here later, but I'll tell you this for nothing, you have a fight on your hands so bring it" Michelle told her

"I don't intend on losing him, I've invested" she said grabbing Michelle's hand across the table "I sent Michael a text asking him to meet me this morning so it's kind of good he's not here" she said grabbing some toast as she got up to go sort her business out

"Weren't you the one that asked for no help?" Daniel asked Michelle when Jane left the table

"I did but, what the eye doesn't see" she smiled

"What the eye doesn't see" Daniel repeated feeling a rush of betrayal towards his sister in her doing that

"Michael" Jane was shouting across the mall 30 minutes later "Good to see you" she said as she got to him hugging him as if they were that familiar "So" she said looking around for somewhere to sit, finding seats under the fountain "What's up with Mercy and you?" she asked as they sat

"She kicked me to the curb, said she was in love with Sam and although she thought it was too late she was going to try, and truth I've left her alone, I don't roll nasty past that"

"But do you love her?"

"I like her, a lot, but the love thing, seriously, we could have gone there but not now"

"You going to the party tonight?"

"I was invited, but I don't know we're done now you know"

"And what you just gave up?"

"She walked out, I'm not gonna be a bitch about it" he laughed

"Be my plus one?" she asked

"I'm not into you though" he laughed louder

"Mercy, Sam remember?" she told him getting up "See you at 6 at the venue, I'm with his parents"

Sam had got up and started instructing on the design of the hall, his only input in the whole of the party apart from getting the venue and he was out to make an impact with it. He was pissed that Jane had turned up and even more pissed at his parents and they'd know that by now because he'd usually have breakfast with them but he purposely didn't. He didn't know if Mercy had done anything about Michael, but he intended on doing something about him, tonight he was going to eat dust, there was everything to lose if he didn't let Mercy know how he felt tonight, and somehow Jane crept back in there and he knew she was going to be trouble. He called his parents about 4 pm told them to be ready for 5 pm he was sending a taxi to pick them up, there was no laughing in the conversation he was still pissed

Mercy had breakfast, had the longest soak and in the afternoon, went to the hair dressers with her Mom, two hours later they had their desired do's and had something to eat before she returned home to get dressed, picked up her parents in her taxi and made their way to the venue

5.45 pm and everyone that needed to be there was at the venue, Mercy with her girl friends and their partners in the cloak room area and Sam and his friends in the bar waiting for the 6 pm meal. While the parents were in the hall, getting the video men set up and locating the photo booth. The hall looking beautiful in Purple and Green, with two large cake's on one of the tables, a full table set for dinner for 20 people and a stage for whatever the drink dictated by the end of the night. The clock sounded 6 pm and everyone made their way to the main hall

"Hi" Jane said as she went running up to Mercy with Michael not far behind her "Great to see you and Michael again" she said pushing him forward as she spoke

"Michael I didn't expect to see you" Mercy said looking at her parents as she said it

"I was invited" he smiled going in to give her a kiss on the cheek "Happy birthday" he said in her ear as Mercy took the opportunity to look around the room "What's the matter?" he asked pulling away from her as he felt her heart beating through her chest

"Nothing" she said as she looked across the room into Sam's eyes cutting into her, their stare cut by Jane jumping at him as he caught her and looked down at her as he did that. Mercy looked away quickly for the pain he was destined to see in her eyes and no way was she showing weakness tonight as she focused on Michael again

The evening was spent with everyone being civil to each other, of course Mercy and Sam where coaxed into singing a song together for their birthday, Sam at a loss asked their guests for a song, which turned out to be a song they really needed to sing to each other. They stood on the stage while Michael and Jane stood false smiling, watching all the devious games they had tried to play throughout the evening fail, as neither Mercy or Sam took the bait, getting egg on their face when the two eventually sang, as requested, their version of **'Almost is Never Enough' by Ariana Grande & Nathan Sykes **to a captive audience. Even Michelle clapped as they finished with an embrace that for them could have gone much further as Mercy counted to three and they let go, smiling awkwardly at each other as they stood forcing themselves not to touch each other again

Cakes were cut, speeches were made, dancing happened for a short while, the party could have been in two separate venue's for all the interaction that took place between the two and the parents sat around like they were waiting for some sort of revelation, finally it was time to say goodnight, Mercy being civil to Jane and Sam being civil to Michael as they bid each other goodnight

Mercy and her parents got into their taxi while Michael got into his car, as Mercy stepped into the car she heard Sam shout and stood still listening to him

"Mom can you guys drop Jane off on your way" Sam said as they left the venue and he stood waving everyone off

Mercy jumped into the car "Drop Jane off?" Mercy asked her Mom

"Yeah they split up ages ago" Patrice told her

"Pattie" Daniel said looking at her "No help" he reminded her

"What the ears don't hear" she said narrowing her eyes at him with a smile on her face

"We'll see you guys tomorrow" Daniel shouted to Neville

"Sure thing" Neville shouted putting his thumb up as a signal

Daniel took the signal as the code being broken on their side too and quickly turned to Sam hugging him "You know Son, they're not together any more" he whispered in Sam's ear smiling as he came out of the hug "goodnight" he said as they shared a knowing look

If he could have he'd have jumped out of his skin, right then as he looked past the crowd and saw Mercy looking at him smiling "It's going to happen" he said rushing the good nights on to get back to his cabin. Twenty minutes later he was sitting in front of his laptop waiting for it to fire up "Here starts my life" he said punching a message into his email box and sending it to Mercy

Mercy grinned for the whole of the 20 minute drive back to her flat, said a very quick goodnight to her parents, as they sat watching her enter her building before they went to their hotel. She almost ran through the door, not waiting for it to fully close before she found her room, opened her laptop, fire it up and pressed send on her love letter to Sam

She wasn't sitting for long when a message came from Sam as she opened it up to read his message ' _Turn your radio on, our station'_ she read as she jumped up to switch the radio on and sat listening, a few minutes in and she heard "This next request is for that new tune by Miss Mercy Jones and the sender want to sent this as not a love letter, he states there ain't no situation, he's not got any reputation and he definitely need to go there with you, no buts" the radio presenter chuckled saying "This guy's not at all romantic is he" he laughed saying "And it's to Tiny from Dot ha Tiny Dot" he laughed before Mercy's version of **'Before I Do' by Sevyn Streeter** started playing

"Dot" she said smiling into her now wet cushion as the door knocked making her jump as she rolled her eyes for the Jane or Michael drama that was about to happen "Dot" she almost screamed when she opened the door to see him standing there, she didn't hesitate she jumped at him as they stood there in the doorway falling into each other again

"There were no buts" he said when he came up for air

"What?" she asked

"In your letter there were no buts" he got out before she connected with him again

They fumbled their way into her apartment, the urgency so intense for them Mercy was crying , when the tear hit Sam's face he pulled back "What's up Tiny?" he asked

"I guess it's the anticipation for this next level coming over me"

"I love you you know that right?"

"I love you back" she smiled as they fell together on her couch and Sam's hands searched her body removing items of clothing as he went, suddenly Mercy sprung up realising this was going to go much further than she'd initially prepared, and getting to grips with how she felt about that "Okay" she said as Sam sat watching her go through her internal conversation

"Are you sure about this?" he asked

"I'm sure" she said grabbing his hand and leading him to her bedroom

Sam didn't waste time getting back to business, he'd needed this woman for nearly three years, and all that stopped that happening now was a few pieces of clothing and a Durex, his eye was on the prize they could talk till tomorrow afterwards

"Sam" she said through the kisses and him sucking on every part of her body that he uncovered "Sam" she said again and he carried on giving her such pleasure she was finding it hard to speak "Dot" she said a bit louder, in a last attempt while she still had some control, making him look up

"What?" he asked as he eased up to sit beside her still kissing on her neck and doing his thing

"I'm a virgin" she said

"What?" he backed off her asking

"You heard me, I'm a virgin" she said

"Okay" he said a smile forming on his face "Are you sure you want this, we can stop at any time" he said moving slower than he would have normally taking time to remove the remaining items looking at each piece of skin he revealed as they smiled at each other and kissed lightly "We can stop at any time" he kept reminded her as he kissed on

"Don't hurt me" she begged him as she melted underneath him, wanting this maybe more than him right now

"I won't" he said as he went in for a kiss and the familiar feeling of electrical charge as they fused into each other from the tips of their heads to the soles of their feet as they finally became one together. The electricity passing through them went to new heights, but no one called it just stared, smiled and carried on making no attempt to stop until they reached a place where letting go would have meant the end of pain but it would have also meant a lack of fulfilment and they needed to be one. Suddenly pain and shock disappeared and they were finally one as they looked into each others eyes the only evidence of anything else happening was their bodies shaking, searching for their end

"God" she said smiling as she lay in his arms afterwards

"What?" he asked laughing at he way she'd said that

"That must have been one hell of a love letter" she laughed

"It said everything I needed to hear" he laughed "Will you marry me now Tiny?"

"Where did that come from?" she asked looking at him shocked

"Looking back at nearly 80 years of wasted life, and a voice telling me that when you know you know"

"No buts" she said

"What kind of an answer is that?"

"It's a yes Dot"

"One promise?" he asked, kissing her head

"What?" she said turning to look at him

"Lots of Tiny Dots" he laughed

"So Romantic" she laughed "I hated being an only child too" she said as the night was spent getting familiar and preparing to break the news to their parents

They were up for breakfast the next morning meeting their parents at the hotel "We have news" Sam said standing next to Mercy at the head of the table they were all sitting at, Jane included "I asked Mercy to marry me last night and" he said looking at her

"I said yes" she told the table as everyone clapped and hugged

"I have an announcement" Neville said, quietening the group "We all know Ma Mercy was all about the letters and this occasion is not without it's share" he said getting his wallet out to produce a neatly folded envelope he carefully unwrapped "She gave me this, for this occasion about 23 years ago, so here goes" he said as he started reading the letter to everyone this time

 _My Beloved Family_

 _If I had one wish for this lifetime it would be that our souls meet, in the form of Mercy and Sam, and have the love and the life that we were denied, I pray that they do not meet the obstacles that we faced, I pray they know love when they find it and against everything it prevails,_

 _I believe God could be so gracious_

 _as always_

 _I will love you all forever_

 _Mercy_

"We were meant to be Mercy" Sam said smiling at Mercy before going in to kiss her "Thank you for finding those letters"

"Wow" Mercy said laughing "Powerful and now predictive love letters" she said to Sam "You better watch out" she laughed looking at Jane "Is there an X on that Dad?" she asked as Sam laughed and his Dad went red

The End


End file.
